Championing electric taxi adoption
Dundee, the city of jute, jam, journalism – and now home to a growing number of electric taxi and private hire vehicles. As the fourth largest city in Scotland, the main source of man-made air pollution in Dundee is road transport, with taxis and private hire vehicles significant contributors. Transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) is key to improving air quality.
Dundee paves the way
Dundee currently has one of the highest concentrations of EVs in the UK. The council’s commitment to transitioning to EVs means 18 per cent of all taxi and private hire vehicles in the city are now electric, with this set to hit 25 per cent by April 2020.
Communication is key
Communicating effectively with operators has been crucial to the success of Dundee’s transition. A taxi liaison committee meets every three months and this includes representatives from the council taxi licencing team, fleet managers, police, unions and the taxi trade. These regular meetings allow challenges and changes to policy to be discussed openly and transparently, as well as fostering effective working relationships.
Thanks to this joined up work, the following policies have been successfully implemented:
- all new private hire cars must be electric
- operators with a licence in their own name can apply for a corporate licence if they operate an approved EV
- low tariffs at council owned charge points
- the taxi test for EVs is £10 cheaper than a non-electric vehicle
A large number of charge points have also been installed to support the transition to EVs. The most practical sites were selected through dialogue with operators. The council ensures that these charge points are well maintained, which helps to instill confidence in the infrastructure.
“If any city or region genuinely wants to transition their taxi and private hire fleets to e-mobility, the key is communication.”
Fraser Crichton, Dundee City Council
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