Region wins £2m to push for electric taxis

LEEDS AND its neighbouring cities have won £2m from the Government to help get more ultralow-emission electric taxis on the region’s roads.

The new grant to the West Yorkshire Combined Authority will pay for 88 taxi and private hire charge points to be installed at key public transport and taxi operation sites across the region. It comes after a successful bid to the Office for Low Emission Vehicle’s Ultra Low Emission Vehicle (ULEV) Taxi Scheme.

City bosses today welcomed the shot in the arm for the region’s green credentials, which comes just a fortnight after Leeds’s highprofile Clean Air Day.

Leeds has previously been named a hotspot for air pollution and has been ordered by the Government to clean up its act on the issue. Leeds will get £745,000 of the total grant allocation. Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, executive member for environment and sustainability, said: “Improving air quality in Leeds is a key priority for the council and vital for the long-term health and wellbeing of our city. However it is a big task and not something we can do on our own.

“By working closely with the West Yorkshire Combined Authority we have been successful in our joint bid for funding to provide a network of electric vehicle charge points across the West Yorkshire region for use by the taxi and private hire trade.

“For this to be a success we will of course need the support of the trade, and are keen to encourage more drivers and operators to use ultra-low emissions vehicles and play their part in improving air quality in Leeds.”