City Council licenses its first electric vehicle for private hire work

Gloucester City Council has licensed its first all electric vehicle, a Tesla Model 3 to undertake private hire work.

The licensing of its first electric vehicle in Gloucester and only the second in Gloucestershire has come at a time when Gloucester City Council has declared a 'climate emergency' and committed to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Under Gloucester City Council’s current rules all licensed Hackney carriage and private hire vehicles must be at least Euro 6 emissions standard by 2023. The city council’s long term aim is that all Hackney carriage and private hire vehicles should be carbon neutral by 2030.

To tackle the dangers of the air quality and the climate change emergency, Gloucester City Council needs to work together with the public, the Hackney carriage and private hire trade, the private sector and the county council to deliver the electric vehicle infrastructure that Gloucestershire needs. The city council will be working with businesses and retailers to support electric vehicle charging plans in Gloucester over the coming years.

Cllr Richard Cook, leader of Gloucester City Council and cabinet member for environment, said: “As we address the climate emergency we all need to reject the fossil fuels of the past and embrace a carbon free future.

“To improve the quality of our air and to tackle the climate crisis, Gloucester must move away from petrol and diesel cars, and towards low-emission vehicles. Licensing our first all electric vehicle for private hire work is a step in the right direction, but much more needs to be done.”