Sheffield event to look at low emission vehicle uptake
Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership will present best practice guide for local authorities
Best practice measures for local authorities looking to boost low emission vehicle uptake in their regions are to be discussed at a free workshop event in Sheffield event next week (November 18).
The event takes place at Sheffield Town Hall on November 18 2015
The Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP) is hosting the free workshop at Sheffield Town Hall from 9.30am-2pm next Wednesday in partnership with Sheffield city council, with a joint focus on reducing both air pollution and carbon dioxide emissions.
Aimed at cities and local authorities, the event will reportedly show “how cities can reduce air pollution as well as help to meet climate change targets”.
Experts from Birmingham city council will be presenting information about the city’s low emission vehicles strategy, while transport firm Reading Buses will give a presentation on its biomethane bus fleet.
Also appearing at the event will be Barnsley council speaking about its Ecostars sheme — which is aimed at helping commercial fleets reduce emissions — and ITM Power, which is currently working on hydrogen vehicle infrastructure.
It follows the launch of LowCVP’s Good Practice Guide earlier this year, which recommends common, UK-wide definitions and vocabulary for low emission vehicles and was written by consultants Urban Foresight.
At the Sheffield event, LowCVP’s managing director Andy Eastlake will present the Guide to attendess, which outlines a wide variety of policies and measures local authorities can adopt to stimulate uptake of low emission cars, vans and taxis in urban areas.
The Guide also outlines examples of best practice from across the UK as well as internationally, setting out five local measures which council’s can use to boost low emission vehicle uptake:
- Parking – discounts for LEVs or dedicated bays
- Permits – discounts for LEVs to operate in low emission zones and for residents; preferential permits for LEV taxis
- Planning — embedding consideration for LEV fuelling infrastructure into local development
- Procurement — local authorities specifying LEVs for their own fleets and setting leading standards for their service providers
- Promotion – of the benefits to business and via educational activity within the local community.
According to LowCVP: “Currently, the market for a variety of LEVs, including battery-electric and plug-in hybrids, is in its early stages and requires national and local incentives to stimulate consumer demand and increase vehicle numbers. The Guide highlights that a variety of low emission vehicle fuels and technologies should be encouraged at a local level.”
LowCVP is a public-private partnership established in 2003 to accelerate the shift to lower carbon vehicles in the UK and boasts almost 200 organisations as members.