Taxi drivers in Bristol are being offered over £3,00 incentive to invest in electric and ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEV). This is part of an initiative to help improve the air quality in Bristol after a successful funding bid of £449,500 from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
Bristol City Council hopes that by offering by a packing of incentives, that up to 100 Hackney Carriage owners will choose to switch to ULEVs. The scheme aims to reduce emission levels across the whole taxi fleet by over 20 per cent.
“Hackney Carriage taxis play an important role in Bristol’s public transport system, often providing trips that are difficult to replace by other modes of transport,” says Councillor Mhairi Threlfall, cabinet member for Transport at Bristol City Council.
“However, frequent travel in the central area and higher level of idling means that they do also make a significant contribution to the current unacceptable levels of air pollution in the city, which we are determined to reduce,” explains Threlfall.
The incentives are being offered over a five-year period. This provides £3,635 of funding to per proprietor and will cover will help cover a number of fees associated with operating a taxi in Bristol.
“We also realise that running a business often involves juggling lots of different costs,” explains Threlfall, “so this scheme of financial subsidies will make it much easier for our taxi drivers to make an immediate difference to our air quality by switching to electric or low emission vehicles.”
