A Lib Dem councillor says he wants “bold” action to encourage more taxi drivers to use electric or hybrid vehicles.
Cllr Paul Ray made his comments at a meeting of Lichfield District Council.
He told members in the chamber that the local authority should incentivise drivers to make the switch to greener travel options.
The Lib Dem group leader said:
“The objective of encouraging more electric vehicles among the taxis in this district is one measure we can take to improve the environment.
“I’d like the council to go further and be bold like in London where all taxis have to be non-diesel or petrol by 2033. I’d like this council to have a policy like that.”
Cllr Paul Ray
Current rules mean taxis must be changed once the vehicle reaches a certain age.
But Cllr Ray said incentives could be introduced to persuade drivers to go electric.
“The other thing is to stress that the taxi drivers say they want the life of the vehicle to be extended from seven years to a longer period.
“In London it’s 12 years and I understand the direction is to push that further to 15 years. That means those drivers who invest in modern, clean vehicles can recoup their investment over a longer period of time.
“A good taxi service is good for our community and if we had more electric and hybrid vehicles then that is good for our environment too.
“I hope these considerations are taken forward and seriously considered.”
Cllr Paul Ray
£50.000 Plus to Buy Electric Taxi. That’s in the Real World Councillor.
Councillor Ray says “That means those drivers who invest in modern, clean vehicles can recoup their investment over a longer period of time.” This is just trying to sugar coat the fact that electric vehicles are far more expensive than ICE vehicles. He talks about moving to a regime where these vehicles can be operated for 15 years. It is a big assumption that the batteries will last that long and if they fail that is a huge extra expense. I’m sure Paul Ray will be back on Lichfield Live criticising LDC when they have to put up taxi fares in response to the higher costs these vehicles will undoubtedly impose on taxi drivers.
Caveat emptor. A lesson needed in simple economics of supply and demand.
Libdem says it all Walter Mitty perfeworld with no idea of costs
@njl100 The battery life on new electric vehicles is such that they are likely to outlast most of the rest of the vehicle. Indeed, it is expected that there will be a build up of useable batteries taken from otherwise knackered vehicles.
It would seem that the consequences of Global Warming is of minor interest in this country and is largely confined to commercial opportunities.
As for the major global protagonists there is no real intent to change, just a lot of lip service. Very odd really. It is like a self imposed death sentence, becoming more deadly as the decades roll on.
It is not somthing you can reverse in short time…or even at all if it reaches a tipping point. I cannot see this changing. You might as well drive and live as you like.
Mercedes, Ford, VW and Audi all scaling back their electric cars. Hmmm wonder why…demand.. too expensive for individuals, their £ value depreciates faster than their 0-60, charging point infrastructure is way behind schedule, expensive parts, dangerously quiet to pedestrians in ‘shared space’ but apart from that they are great!
Electric black cabs in London, basic 80k. Fully fitted 120k plus only allowed to keep for 3 years.
World same rule apply in Lichfield?
Cllr Ray wants to live in the real world.
@Jack, I maybe wrong but aren’t the Chinese Co BYD selling their basic electric car for £8000 in China. There are apparently 7000 BYD cars heading for Europe. Maybe the companies you quote just see the wrting’s on the wall?
What would really help the environment is better public transport (be that electric buses or another alternative to diesel) and more opportunities for people to walk or cycle.
Bus services in our district are hopeless – unreliable during the day and non-existent in the evening. Important destinations such as local hospitals (e.g. Burton) are currently impractical by bus, and you can’t even walk between the two main areas of population (Lichfield and Burntwood) without having to walk along a 50 mph road with an incomplete footpath. The cycle lanes in Lichfield are useless and some of the junctions (such as the traffic lights at the St John St/Birmingham Road junction) require pedestrians to cross busy roads with no crossing lights. There’s much that could be done to help us all to reduce our car use altogether, be that private cars or taxis.
Well said Clare Sholl, I’d love to know who signed off the totally useless and pointless cycle lane on Walsall Rd…a dotted white line offering no protection and routinely parked in by drivers.
I will say though that we’re better off than some towns. The ability to walk or cycle from opposite the Shell garage to near Leomansley Woods using shared pavements is good, as is Cathedral Walk and the Netherstowe cycle path. I’m very much looking forward to the completion of the old railway line to Brownhills which will enable cycling from Lichfield to Walsall all off-road.
@chris of course, the BYD ‘green’ EV car is built in China using electricity that is generated mainly by fossil fuels…