Towns and cities in West Yorkshire will benefit from almost £2 million of government funding, which will be used to install new EV charge points for taxi and private hire vehicle use.
The Yorkshire Evening Post reports that 88 new points dedicated for taxi use will be installed, after the West Yorkshire Combined Authority successfully applied for £1.9 million of Office for Low Emission Vehicles’ (OLEVs) taxi scheme.
Areas within the combined authority include Leeds, York, Bradford, and Wakefield, with the points set to be installed at strategic spots throughout the region to help plug-in taxi drivers on the move.
Councillor Lucinda Yeadon, Leeds City Council’s 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.
West Yorkshire Combined Authority Transport Chair Cllr Keith Wakefield said: “This funding will enable the Combined Authority to roll out dedicated charging point infrastructure across West Yorkshire, which is forecast to result in 500 diesel taxis and private hire vehicles being converted to hybrid and pure electric versions by 2020.
“This change would improve Nitrogen Dioxide emissions by as much as 18%, which is in line with the our Strategic Economic Plan’s target of developing Clean Energy and Environmental Resilience for Leeds City Region.”
Several private hire and taxi firms across the region provided letters of support for the Combined Authority’s bid and local councils are encouraging other operators and partners to make the switch to ULEVs and collectively help to reduce transport emissions across West Yorkshire.
