Council bids to cut pollution through eco-friendly taxis

York Council has drawn up the first incentive scheme in the country to encourage drivers of taxis and private hire vehicles to slash carbon emissions.

Both Hackney and private hire drivers are being offered £3,000 towards the price of a low emission vehicle through a Local Sustainable Transport Fund, which was awarded to the council from the Government.

Four vehicles have already been purchased under the scheme and while just £3,000 of the £15,000 fund remains, senior politicians admitted more needs to be done to reduce traffic fumes which are the biggest polluter in the city.

The council’s cabinet member for transport, planning and sustainability, Coun Dave Merrett, said: “These taxis are part of our longer term objective to improve air quality and reduce carbon and particularly nitrogen dioxide emissions that are so damaging to public health in the city.

“We are determined to address the traffic-related air quality problems we have in York, and this incentive is an innovative step forward.

“We need to move as quickly as possible to introduce different, less polluting vehicle technologies and taxis are key group given their number in the city.”

There are currently ten private hire vehicles and three taxis which are using hybrid technology in the city, although the figures remain a tiny proportion of the overall fleets. There are 183 Hackney carriages and 565 private hire vehicles which are licensed by the council.

The council has admitted tackling air pollution is one of the biggest challenges the authority is facing. Pollution had been linked to an estimated 158 premature deaths in York every year, and the council is aiming to cut car use by five per cent in three years by promoting alternative modes of transport, including walking, cycling and buses.