CARMANAH Technologies has won a five-year sub-contract from Trueform to supply Transport for London (TfL) with 7,000 solar-powered bus stops as part of a £7.9 million project. TfL has 17,500 bus stops plus 11,500 stops with shelters.
It follows a three-year trial and development work using 126 installations from three suppliers (Carmanah, solarcenture and Zeta Solar). TfL’s aim is to increas the stops’ visibility at night, increase passengers’ sense of security and make timetable information easier to read.
The stops will be installed at the rate of 60 a week, starting at the end of October in Hillingdon, Ealing and Hounslow. Initially, suburban areas with lower levels of street lighting are being targeted, and the scheme will then be rolled out on a route-by-route basis.
The bus stop ‘flag’ (incorporating a ‘hat’ housing solar celss and LED downlighters) is illuminated from dusk to dawn. Pressing a button on the timetable case will brighten its illumination.
The prime reason for choosing solar is ease of installation, and not having to obtain mains connections, which can cost £3,000 each. While most shelters already have mains power, 340 have solar-powered lighting. A separate project will see the remaining 180 fitted by next summer.