Cllr Martin Tett, Transport spokesman for the Local Government Association, responds to today’s announcement of £6 million in government funding for 17 UK councils to provide charging points for ultra-low emission taxis.
“This funding for green taxi charging points is good news to help councils continue to improve air quality for their communities and reduce air pollution which is a major public health concern.
“Councils have already introduced several measures to tackle air pollution, such as encouraging the use of electric vehicles with recharging points, promoting cycling, investing in cleaner buses, managing borough-wide air pollution monitoring networks, and pioneering the concept of low-emission zones.
“Councils are determined to do more in planning for new places in ways that improve air quality and promote more sustainable forms of travel but a lack of long-term funding is a clear barrier to such investment. Government needs to address this in the forthcoming Spending Review.”
Spending Review 2019
Without a sustainable funding, your council can't deliver the essential services that keep your communities running; securing the financial sustainability of local services must be the top priority for the Spending Review later this year.