...GREEN MEANS GO
GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES £12M FUNDING TO SUPPORT EV RESEARCH PROJECTS
The UK Government has announced that £12 million will be made available to support electric vehicle (EV) research projects that will integrate the most promising electric transport technologies. The funding highlights the government’s com- mitment to driving down emissions and encouraging more UK drivers to switch to EVs. Some researchers suggest that on the back of this financial support the UK could soon see cars benefitting from a six-minute bat- tery charge time. In a government-commissioned report by
the Office for Low Emission Vehicles, it is suggested that green-coloured parking spaces, charge points at popular destina- tions and dedicated EV sites for buying and selling cars could soon come to fruition. A £9.3 million scheme launched by High- ways England will also allow businesses to try EVs for free before they purchase them with local authorities encouraging business- es with diesel van fleets to make the switch to electric. Businesses will be offered a free trial of EVs for two months, following a successful launch
with Leeds City Council earlier in the year. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: “Whether you’re taking a trip with the family or commuting to work, with the wide range of models at competitive prices, it is now more cost-effective and convenient than ever to drive and charge an EV.” Highways England Chief Executive, Jim O’Sullivan commented: “This is a key exam- ple of how we are using designated funds to benefit the environment and communities around our roads as well as the people trav- elling and working on them.”
CALLS FOR GOVERNMENT TO COMPENSATE LEEDS TAXI DRIVERS IF CLEAN AIR ZONE SCRAPPED
A Leeds councillor has called on the Gov- ernment to compensate hundreds of taxi drivers who paid thousands for new eco- friendly cars, should a review conclude they are not needed. It follows an announcement last month that funding of the £20m-plus clean air charging zone (CAZ) would be suspended while the authority worked with the Government to understand whether pollution could ever again reach illegal levels. The CAZ was due to make a daily charge to buses, HGVs and taxis or private hire vehi- cles driving in certain parts of the city if their engines did not meet eco-friendly requirements. According to West Leeds Dispatch, many self-employed taxi drivers spent thousands upgrading their vehicles in readiness for the scheme, which was expected to be up and running in 2021, only to be told work on the scheme was suspended due to improving air pollution levels in the city. A conclusion of the review into the scheme is set to go before councillors in October’s council executive board meeting, but Labour councillor Javaid Akhtar claimed the
government should pay drivers who upgraded their vehicles, should the scheme be scrapped. Cllr Akhtar said: “Many businesses have suf- fered, and the private hire and taxi trade is no different. We know many hundreds of drivers have invested thousands of pounds in the cleaner vehicles. “Can I now ask the executive board member to join us to campaign for compensation for those drivers who have already invested in hybrids or electric cars, so the Government has to pay those drivers off during these dif- ficult times.” Cllr James Lewis, executive board member for resources and deputy council leader, said: “The implementation is under review due to the improvement of air quality since March. It is important that the outcome is not pre-empted. “I know many taxi and private hire drivers have been in touch since we instigated the review making similar points to those you have made. “First of all, I would say we have to wait for the outcome of the review. “Air quality has improved – if the review
suggests we don’t need to implement a charging zone, we will make the case to government that the money allocated to us and remains unspent continues to support businesses to keep those vehicles on the road, and to invest in new clean vehicles. “I know Cllr Akhtar will make that strong case to the Government. We, should the review say we don’t need a clean air charg- ing zone, will continue to do that.” Plans for Leeds’s clean air charging zone would see older models of buses, taxis and HGVs travelling in areas around north Leeds and the city centre pay a congestion charge. The fees would be administered via a £6m camera network, which would identify num- ber plates of cars that didn’t meet green requirements so that drivers could be charged. It was originally expected to be up and run- ning by January 2020 but, following numerous delays from central government in creating a vehicle database, it was announced in July 2019 that the charging zone should be going live “some time in 2020”. Last month it was announced that work on the scheme would be halted.
T HE CL E A N E R , S A F ER WAY TO TR A V E L
For more information on TX's clean credentials, please visit
levc.com – The Electric Taxi
OCTOBER 2020 37
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