GREEN MEANS
GO...GREEN MEANS GO..
EASTBOURNE PRIVATE HIRE OPERATOR ATTEMPTS TO GO GREEN BUT BLOCKED BY RED TAPE
An Eastbourne private hire operator is bemused that his efforts to go green have been blocked by red tape which has stopped his livelihood. Dean O’Hara decided to replace his ageing petrol cab with an EV which revealed how the town may talk a lot about green issues but seems to have problems putting them into practice. A driver for over ten years with Call A Cab taxi firm when his trusty vehicle finally gave up the ghost he decided to invest £25,000 in a fully electric MG5 EV. However, he quickly discovered that Eastbourne is not ready for such a green vehicle despite the borough council continually promoting what it claims is a green agenda. “I was gobsmacked”, said Dean. “All this talk of switching away from petrol and diesel but it’s all talk and not nearly enough action.” Mr O’Hara was told that his new vehicle
could not be licensed because it might set a trend. “What if 20 Eastbourne taxi drivers go out and buy EVs, where would they charge them?”, he was told when he submitted the licence application. Given the cost of EVs at the moment, Dean finds it hard to believe that many drivers would make a sudden switch and take up all the town’s charging points. “We have a charging point at home”, explains Dean. “An eight-hour overnight charge gives me a range of up to 260 miles and that’s more than enough for the work I do; I wont’ be clogging up the public charging points.” Dean’s case has been taken up by his local councillors who are appalled at the way he’s been treated in his efforts to put a sustainable taxi on the road in Eastbourne. They said: “This is so unfair on a hard-working driver. Dean is now losing money every day because of the
total incompetence of our Liberal Democrat-run council. They talk a lot about green issues but, as this woeful case clearly shows, they’ve done pre- cious little to put those mealy words into practice.” Conservative Deputy Group Leader, Cllr Penny di Cara, also represents Dean as a Sovereign ward councillor. She feels it’s lamentable that this self-employed private hire operator has had his liveli- hood affected in this way. “Dean has a family to support and a mortgage to pay. This is grossly unfair on him when he’s gone out of his way to heed the words of the mandarins running our borough and embrace a more sustain- able future for taxis in our town.” There is going to have to be a specially- convened meeting of the Licensing Committee to determine the case, meanwhile Dean and his shiny new car are stuck at home, earning no money.
BRADFORD TO PUSH AHEAD WITH CLEAN AIR ZONE DESPITE LEEDS HALTING SIMILIAR SCHEME
Bradford Council’s executive has approved plans to implement a Clean Air Zone in the district at the beginning of next year to improve air quality across the district and the health of residents. The zone is designed to encourage the use of cleaner vehicles by imposing a daily charge for vehicles that do not meet clean air standards. Non-compli- ant vans would be charged £9, non-compliant taxis £12.50 and non- compliant lorries, buses and coaches £50. There will be no charge for private cars. The system will be operational by January 2022 and Bradford will join cities such as Manchester, Bristol and Sheffield in creating a Clean Air Zone. The Government directed the council to draw up plans to bring down nitrogen
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dioxide (NO2) levels in the district to within legal limits as soon as possible. Bradford has high levels of childhood asthma with 22% of children reporting a wheezing disorder. Hospital admis- sions for asthma are above national and regional levels and 38% of asthma cases are due to NO2 levels. The zone will include Bradford city centre, from and including the outer ring road, extending up the Canal Road corridor and Manningham Lane into Shipley and Saltaire. It is hoped it will encourage drivers to switch to low emission vehicles, or upgrade their existing vehicles, as cleaner, less-polluting vehicles will be allowed to use the zone for free. Around £31 million of government funding will be available to support
businesses affected by the zone. More than £10 million of that has been ear- marked to support the taxi trade. This will include grants to pay for upgrading or converting taxis to electric to make them exempt from paying the daily charge. Taxis from outside Bradford will have to pay a charge to enter the zone unless the vehicle meets clean air standards. Bradford’s funding award from govern- ment is one of the highest levels in the country so far. The zone’s impact on health will be assessed over time by the Born in Brad- ford health research team. Greenhouse gas emissions are also expected to reduce as a result of the scheme, in line with the council’s climate emergency agenda.
MARCH 2021
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