New funding for electric vehicles in London

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, and Transport for London have announced £1.4 million in funding for six ‘Neighbourhoods of the Future’, that will combine innovative green technology and other initiatives to tackle London’s air quality at a local level.

The funding will be matched by £1.1 million from the London boroughs involved and Heathrow airport, with the initiative aiming to break down the barriers preventing people from buying ultra-low emission vehicles and ease the transition for communities wanting to move to greener lifestyles.

“We are determined to drive the take-up of low-emission vehicles to improve London air quality and boost quality of life,” said John Hayes, Minister of State at the Department for Transport. “We are investing nearly £600 million to encourage people to switch to greener vehicles, including £13 million to encourage Londoners to go electric.”

The aim of the project is to give Londoners the confidence to make the switch to more environmentally friendly vehicles, to work with businesses to bring new technology to market faster, and to test technology that reduces pollution and could be used across the UK.

The schemes include a zero emission zone, ‘electric streets’ that have a high concentration of electric vehicle charge points, and the trial of technology like an ultra-low emission HGV.

The ‘Neighbourhoods of the Future’ are being introduced at a range of sites that are representative of similar sites elsewhere in London and nationally, such as town centres, out-of-town industrial zones, international transport hubs and regeneration schemes.

“The capital has seen huge growth in the number of electric vehicles on its roads and these initiatives will only go further to support not only current owners, but also encourage others to make the switch,” said Poppy Welch, Head of the Go Ultra Low Cities Scheme. “As well as improving local air quality, electric vehicles boast low running costs and are currently exempt from vehicle excise duty and the London Congestion Charge.”

‘Neighbourhoods of the Future’ forms a part of London’s £13 million Go Ultra Low Cities scheme, the Government-funded drive to encourage the switch to electric cars and vans.