GREEN TAXI SCHEME LAUNCHED: Cardiff cabbies get to ‘try before you buy’ new electric taxis
Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) has this week launched a Green Taxi ‘Try before you buy’ pilot in partnership with Welsh Government.
The scheme was launched by Cllr Huw David at the South East Wales Clean Transport event scheduled as part of the Cop Cymru programme running in parallel with Cop26 in a series of roadshows across Wales, with the CCR concentrating on the theme of clean transport.
Bookings for the new taxi trials opened on 10 November 2021 with cabs being released from 1 December. Cardiff Capital Region will be one of the first UK city regions to take part in a trial of this kind.
The scheme allows licensed taxi drivers across the 10 local authorities in the Cardiff Capital Region to try a fully electric, wheelchair accessible taxi, free of charge for 30 days, including free charging, insurance, and breakdown cover. The ‘Try Before You Buy Scheme’ is aimed at encouraging taxi drivers to transition to 100% electric, wheel-chair accessible vehicles. There are 44 Nissan Dynamo vehicles available to be utilised for a three-year trial.
The trial will run to 30 November 2023 with the total funding from Welsh Government being £3.4m for the Cardiff Capital Region and £111,000 for Pembrokeshire.
Lee Waters, Deputy Minister for Climate Change, with a responsibility for transport said: “This trial scheme is an excellent opportunity to support and provide taxi drivers with the confidence that they need to make the switch to an electric vehicle, whilst playing a part in helping to make our transport system cleaner, greener and more sustainable.”
Cllr. Huw David, Chair of the CCR Transport Authority, said: “I am delighted that today the Cardiff Capital region is launching the ‘Try Before You Buy Scheme’ funded by the Welsh Government. This scheme is just the beginning of the CCR’s ambition to create a fully decarbonised integrated transport network which as we increasingly see projects move from planning into physical roll-out is quickly becoming the reality as we move ever closer in our race towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050.”
Andrew Elkin, General Manager Day’s Rental, said: “We are delighted to play an active role in the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Hackney Taxi “Try before you Buy” initiative.
“Following lengthy consultation, it was determined that as a management partner, we were best equipped to provide the expertise necessary to deliver the scheme and achieve the success everyone expects it to be. In anticipation of the challenge and using our branch network locations across South Wales, we are confident in delivering the EV Taxi CCR (Cardiff Capital Region) scheme with the associated high levels of customer service we offer with a joint aim of creating a better and healthier environment that New EV Taxis deliver. As a Welsh family business operating since 1926, this is an exciting collaborative venture with Welsh Government and the Cardiff Capital Region.”
