Buses may run on sugar beet fuel

A fleet of buses in Berkshire looks set to be run on sugar beet fuel - in an attempt to cut carbon dioxide and other harmful emissions.

Six million trips are made on the Tilehurst to Reading route each year and passengers could be travelling on 14 buses run on bio-ethanol from March.

The fuel, derived from a renewable source of sugar beet in East Anglia, proved successful during recent trials.

The scheme is expected to get backing from councillors on Monday.

"We need to be careful about using easy fixes to the long-term fuel question," Steve Waite, lead councillor for environment and consumer affairs, said.

"That is why we need to know where the fuel is coming from and the local implications. This scheme is using only by-products of sugar beet from UK sources and is a welcome addition."