MIKE HEDGES AM
celebrates National Clear Air Day with the potential of LPG to improve Welsh
Air Quality
Mike
Hedges AM celebrated
#NationalCleanAirDay (15/06/17) by taking a ride in one of Autogas’ new LPG
powered taxis which aims to drive an improvement the Wales’ air quality levels by
cleaning up the nation’s diesel taxi cabs.
The
UK’s first ever National Clean Air Day [15 June] has a goal to improve the
understanding of air pollution. Taxi drivers occupy a unique place in the air
pollution crisis as they are exposed to significant levels of bad air as well
being a primary source of harmful emissions.
Global
Action Plan and Calor, the UK’s leading supplier of LPG and joint partner in
Autogas Ltd, have come together the find out the views of the UK’s taxi drivers
on the air pollution challenge.
Poor air quality is a serious concern
for many towns and cities across Wales, with an estimated 29,000 premature UK deaths
occurring each year because of the problem which has been widely attributed to
vehicle emissions.
With diesel powered taxi cabs identified
as one of the biggest emitters of two key harmful pollutants, NO2 and
particulates, representatives from Calor briefed Assembly Members on its newly
converted taxi and multipurpose van which run on cleaner autogas LPG.
Mike
Hedges AM, said:
“The
Welsh Government and Local Authorities should seriously consider LPG as a quick
and cost effective option for taking older diesel taxis off the road. The cost
of electric vehicles; over £40,000, is beyond the reach of most cab drivers and
we do not yet have the necessary infrastructure for re-charging their
batteries. In contrast, the cost of converting an existing diesel powered taxi
to LPG costs approximately £10,000. Drivers could recoup the cost of conversion
in less than two years as the price of LPG is significantly lower that gasoline
or diesel”.
Rebecca
Hart, Corporate Affairs Manager at Calor said:
“Improving
local air quality is an urgent priority, but this must be addressed in a
sensible manner giving local drivers and businesses a convenient and affordable
option which then leads to a significant environmental improvement. Diesel
taxis have already been singled out by Government as one of the biggest
polluters in cities so today was an important step in showcasing our latest
solution for taxi drivers which means they can keep their existing cabs, while meeting
the most stringent emissions tests.”
Vehicles powered by Autogas LPG are much
less harmful to the environment. Independent testing of the Autogas taxi
solution resulted in an 80 percent reduction in NOX emissions and a 99%
reduction in particulates when compared with a standard diesel powered
equivalent. The converted taxi also scored favourably on CO2 showing a 7%
reduction compared to the diesel Euro6 equivalent.
Autogas LPG powered taxis are widely
used in other cities around the world who are concerned with air quality
issues. For example, 90 per cent of taxis in Tokyo run on LPG and they are also
widely found in Hong Kong, New York and Istanbul.
Taxi drivers making the switch to LPG
can be reassured by the fuel’s established infrastructure. Currently more than
1,400 refuelling stations around the UK offer autogas LPG. This infrastructure
can be expanded and introduced at no cost to the tax payer.
For more information about autogas LPG
visit www.autogaslimited.co.uk.
Contact
Notes
About Global Action Plan and National
Clean Air Day
Global Action Plan brings people together and inspires
them to take practical environmental action. It collects the impact of
their actions and share their stories, so more people are inspired to change.
GAP delivers national and global programmes to young
people with a focus on promoting sustainable behaviours and health.
It
believes that environmental sustainability is an issue for everyone - and all
parts of society should be addressing it.
The first ever National Clean Air Day On June 15, aims
to create a groundswell of action bringing thousands of people together to make
UK cities cleaner, healthier and greener.
National Clean Air Day will highlight what we can all do to protect ourselves and our
children, and reduce local pollution levels. The day will also capture
the voices of people living all over the UK, from all walks of life, sharing
their concerns about pollution and their hopes for swift progress in cleaning
up our air.
The campaign
focuses on pollution hotspots; with action taking place in Manchester,
Birmingham, Southampton, Leeds, Derby, Nottingham, London, and Scotland; while
all UK cities will benefit from the free guides and toolkits available. This
includes events at school gates, hospitals, and shopping centres.
About
Calor and Autogas Ltd.
Autogas Limited, a
joint venture between Shell and Calor, has been established since 2000. We
supply the UK’s drivers with automotive LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) with the
vision to:
Save motorists from fuel poverty
and help us all breathe easier
Not only do we have
the drive and passion for making sure motorists are offered the full range of
fuels available, but we really believe that you deserve to know just how much
money you could save on your fuel bills in a year. That is why we aim to give
you, the public, a better insight into UK motoring and how it can be improved – not only for your
pocket, but also the impact on the environment.
