Not sure I fully understand this guy's point here - think he's trying to say that because they're having to use hybrids with a very small battery range then it's all just tokenism.
Exeter taxi driver questions ‘ludicrous’ changes of hackney carriages to low emission carshttps://www.devonlive.com/news/local-ne ... us-3185114Trevor Tickner totally supports the council's plans to become carbon neutral, but argues the operation of making the switch so soon is not a good move as there's a lack of car charging points
Image: Devon LiveAn Exeter cabbie has said that the move to low emission vehicles from hackney carriages is going to cause problems - and branded the operation of installing the new vehicles 'ludicrous'.
Trevor Tickner, who has been a taxi driver for 38 years, supports the move to strive for cleaner air - but he doesn't think it's been thought through.
Exeter City Council are taking measures to lower emissions from taxis, with the scheme going ahead in January 2020.
The 68-year-old claims that there are around 25 saloon cars in Exeter that have to convert to ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) to reduce emissions, but says that the plan is a "mathematical box-ticking procedure with no bearing on real life".
He claims that by the time he reaches St Davids from his home in Pinhoe, he will have used all of the electric charge of the car, and pointed out the lack of charging points.
Exeter City Council has admitted that the vehicle charging network is still being developed, with significant increases in network provision expected over the coming years, but of the ULEVs plated by Exeter so far, all of these vehicles are self-charging.
Mr Tickner said: "They [the council] want to change from the old hackney carriages. There are about 25 saloon cars in Exeter that have to convert to ULEV (Ultra Low Emission Vehicle) to reduce emissions.
"The majority are plug-ins, which are half-way to electric cars. They have petrol engines to supplement electric motors.
Their range (a Mitsubishi Outlander plug-in) only has around 31 miles fully charged. I live in Pinhoe and work at St Davids. By the time I am at work and back, I have used all the charge. That is if you can find somewhere to charge it.
"The Toyota Prius only has an 11 mile range. They are popular with businesses because they are tax efficient. We have complained about it as there are so few cars around that are suitable. Most are very small too.
"A lack of charging points means we can’t charge it up as we need to, so we have to use the petrol engines. The whole thing is a mathematical box-ticking procedure with no bearing on real life.
"I am all for cleaning the air – I have a lung problem and I am very green in my lifestyle."
Mr Tickner added: "To buy a car to meet regulations, you can’t find anywhere to charge them. Some of the smaller ones are a joke – they are not big enough to carry four people and their luggage. My car is a Peugeot 308 estate.
"We asked them [the council] to reconsider it at council meetings but they have said no, it is not even under discussion. I fully support steps towards becoming carbon neutral, but I think it will make the situation worse.
"I would need a big Ford eight-seater to carry the same amount of stuff and passengers, which is clearly going to be more polluting. It has 190g of CO2 and is wheelchair accessible so I can use that, but a new 2019 Peugeot will be 93g of CO2. How does that make sense?
"The Ford is £38,000 while the Peugeot is 18K or 19K. As they are new cars too, they are very expensive. Most taxi drivers buy three-year-old cars.
"I support the principle behind it, but the operation of it is ludicrous.
"We have to have them sorted now so they are ready for January 1.
"I was recommended to drive to Dart’s Farm to charge my car. They honestly want me to drive from Pinhoe to Dart’s Farm, then to St Davids?".
Last week, Devon Councy Council announced that it has formed a consortium with two private sector companies, ZAPINAMO and Gamma Energy, to install and operate 150 electric car charge points on the streets of Exeter over the next two years.
Currently in Exeter there are approximately 30 publicly accessible charge points – and once complete, this project would increase that number by 400 per cent.
A spokesman for Exeter City Council said: “The council has previously highlighted measures to improve air quality and stated its ambition to work towards a carbon-neutral Exeter. Measures due to be introduced in January seek to lower emissions from taxis.
“It is accepted that the vehicle charging network is still being developed, with significant increases in network provision expected over the coming years. However, of the ULEVs plated by Exeter so far, all of these vehicles are self-charging.
“We therefore take the view there are sufficient policy compliant vehicle models available at present. Furthermore the current policy is not asking for fully electric vehicles, and fully accepts then use of hybrid vehicles so long as they have a stated CO2 emission figure of 75g per Km or below.
“The current policy regarding emissions standards has now been in place since June 2015. Therefore all proprietors have had ample time to prepare for compliance with the Licensing Authority’s policy and therefore the expectation of the licensing committee is that all vehicles will be compliant by 1 January 2020.”
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