Reducing Pollution and New Technology in London

So much about London is about making our TODAYS fast and furious but little is spent on making what we have last - whether that be our transport, our buildings or our environment. London’s buses, taxis and vans still mostly run on diesel. This should no longer be the case. Air pollution from traffic causes huge health problems and this must change.

Under our Big Switch plan, all of London’s buses and taxis, and most commercial vans, will run on electricity by 2020. This is financed primarily through fuel cost savings, so taxi drivers will make big savings too.

Brian Paddick will:

1. Modify the existing Source London charging network to focus on supporting buses, vans and taxis in central London where the pollution is worst.
2. Begin at once to purchase new electric buses as well as trialling the retro-fitting of electric power trains into existing buses.
3. Ensure that by 2016 all buses in central London, the most polluted area, are powered by clean electricity, with all 8,500 of London’s buses converted by 2020.
4. Run a competition for a new iconic London electric black taxi and begin production by 2015 of at least one electric taxi design.
5. Set up a clean air zone for central London modelled on current schemes in European cities like Berlin, using national registration details to enforce higher engine standards, with income from fines ringfenced to fund a scrappage scheme.
6. Explore with manufacturers the setting up of a subsidy scheme to reduce the upfront capital costs for drivers needing to convert to electric vehicles.