John Lewis introduce electric shuttle bus service
An electric bus shuttle service for shoppers at a West End department store in London was unveiled this week. The service is designed to cut down on congestion in the city centre as thousands flock to the capital to do their Christmas shopping.
The sleek electric coaches, said to be worth around £150,000 each, have been finished to an exceptionally high standard and are described as being like an “executive jet” onboard. John Lewis will run a door-to-door service from its department store on Oxford Street to customers’ homes at a cost of £5 each way.
The scheme has been backed by the Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, as it intends to help reduce congestion and CO2 emissions in central London by discouraging people from travelling into the busy shopping area using their own transport.
The electric bus service is being trialled on routes to affluent residential areas in London such as Primrose Hill, Holland Park and St John’s Wood. The reason for this is because John Lewis found that it was these kinds of customers who were most likely to use their own car to travel to the store, and it is hoped the electric shuttle bus service will offer a convenient alternative for these individuals.
Special electric power points have been installed outside of the John Lewis store so the electric buses can re-charge in between journeys. If the service proves a success, John Lewis hopes to have 20 of the luxurious electric buses in operation in London next year.