City to get more rapid vehicle charging points as Clean Air Zone efforts step up

An additional 400 rapid electric vehicle charging points could be deployed across Birmingham as part of a major drive to get commuters out of cars and on public transport when the Clean Air Zone comes to the city.

Steve Arnold, head of the Clean Air Zone at Birmingham City Council, made the comments during a webinar dedicated to helping firms establish green travel plans for staff.

In response to a question from one of the event 's attendees on whether the council would bring in discounted parking for electric vehicles, Mr Arnold said that in the council 's view, rolling out more charging points across the city was a better incentive to help drivers make the electric switch.

He said: “We already have around 30 electric vehicle charging points around the city. They were originally rolled out in a fairly scattergun approach.

“What we 're working on at the moment is actually a much more thoughtful deployment of around about 400 additional charging points, fast and rapid charging points.

“Due to the funding that has been provided for those, those will be primarily geared towards the taxi community, encouraging change within the hackney carriage community.

“At the moment there is around about 12 licensed, electric hackney carriages.

“Those charging points will also be for public use.

“For us we think providing those charging points for electric vehicles is actually more of an incentive than discounted parking. That 's not to say we 're never gonna say never, but we think that actually providing that much more robust network of charging points, we think that is a greater incentive. ”

Delegates were also informed of more plans to encourage commuters to use greener forms of transport, such as buses, by Ali Bell, director of communications at National Express.

The business, which operates around 90 per cent of the buses around the West Midlands, vowed never to buy a diesel bus again in 2019 and has since bought in 29 electric buses into service.

Paul Faulkner, chief executive of Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce, commented that National Express were “exemplars ” in leading the sustainable travel agenda, with the operator making a huge commitment for its bus fleet to be zero emissions by 2030.

Ms Bell also described how the operator are in the midst of testing the hydrogen and electric buses along its routes, opening up more bus routes to serve the north of Birmingham, making more fare options available to travellers and simplifying the names of bus stops in the app, on signs and maps.

She said these measures were an effort to make public transport an “easier choice ”.

Paddy Bevan, head of sales at National Express, also joined the webinar to discuss how the business itself has encouraged staff to opt for greener modes of transport while travelling to work.

The operator has provided guidance and advice for its staff on how the Clean Air Zone, coming into force in June, will impact them, and installed more free cycle storage areas at its offices.

National Express achieved its bronze accreditation during the Modeshift STARS scheme, an online planning and reward scheme

The University of Birmingham has also gained accreditation via the scheme, as Edward Shelley, from the university described during the webinar.

He advised businesses which are considering adopting Modeshift STARS accreditation to consider dialogue, incentives, facilities and community when creating travel plans.

To find more Chamber resources on the Clean Air Zone, click here

Visit www.brumbreathes.co.uk to check whether your vehicle is exempt from the Clean Air Zone, or find out more about financial incentives.