Following an announcement last week by the government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV), Cambridge City Council will receive funding for an independent study by the Energy Saving Trust into providing more environmentally-friendly travel opportunities.
This will include assessment of the feasibility of commissioning electricity charging points for taxis and of the way electric taxis could practically operate across the city and in South Cambridgeshire.
Subject to the feasibility study and a further successful bid, a share of £20 million would then be made available in 2016 to support installing charging infrastructure for plug-in capable taxis and to provide grants towards the purchase of new taxis.
Cambridge City Council is already working towards lowering its own emissions and improving the environment in a number of different ways.
It recently introduced a new low-emission electric-powered van for pest control officers, to replace an older, diesel-powered vehicle.
The Nissan e-NV200 van has zero tail-pipe emissions – so produces no polluting exhaust fumes. The van will run for around 100 miles between charges – so is ideal for the pest control officers’ low daily mileage in and around Cambridge. Running costs for the van are also low, so it represents good value for money.
Buying this vehicle fits with the council’s new Air Quality Action Plan 2015- 2025. The ambition of the Plan is for Cambridge to become a low emission city, with clean fresh air for all residents, visitors and workers, while meeting and continuing to meet national targets for air quality improvements. Council officers are developing the detail of the Plan which will be consulted on in 2016.
Cllr Peter Roberts, Executive Councillor for Environment and Waste, said: “Lower emission vehicles have the benefit of both being less polluting and having lower operating costs.
“I am pleased the government has recognised the work already being done to improve air quality in Cambridge, and is backing this up with this new funding to look at plug-in taxis in the city. This will form an important part of our Air Quality Action Plan along with other plans to improve the infrastructure and promote the uptake of clean electric and hybrid vehicles here.
“When the new plan is finalised it will benefit people in Cambridge, especially those susceptible to heart and lung conditions.”
As well as buying an electric vehicle, a new electric charge point with twin charge sockets has also recently been installed in Queen Anne Terrace car park. Visitors to the car park can charge electric cars there for up to three hours at no additional cost.
Image: Cllr Peter Roberts, Executive Councillor for Environment and Waste and Jo Dicks, Environment Quality and Growth Manager at Cambridge City Council, with the council’s new vehicle.
Read a new release from the government’s Office for Low Emission Vehicles
Read a report from Cambridge City Council’s Environment Scrutiny Committee on the Cambridge City Air Quality Action Plan
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Contacts:
Cllr Peter Roberts (Labour Group), Executive Councillor for Environment and Waste, email: peter.roberts@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 07968 216411
Cllr Mike Pitt (Liberal Democrat Group), Opposition spokesperson, email: mike@einval.com, tel: 01223 709544
Cllr Oscar Gillespie (Minorities Group), Opposition spokesperson, email: oscar.gillespie@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 07851 820806
Jo Dicks, Environmental Quality & Growth Manager, email:jo.dicks@cambridge.gov.uk, tel: 01223 457892
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