New mayor targets greener London
London’s new mayor Sadiq Khan has set a provisional target of only buying clean electric or hydrogen buses from 2020 as he hopes to inspire a green revolution in the capital.
He succeeded Boris Johnson at the end last week and has promised to make the environment a priority, with the ultimate aim of running London on 100% green energy by 2050.
Sadiq said, London has the potential to be at the leading edge of the fight against climate change. It’s the right thing to do for our planet, for our health, and for the long-term future of our economy.
‘Green issues aren’t just some add-on to the things we do as a city – they must run through the way we manage our transport system, build new homes and generate the city’s energy. I want London eventually to be a zero-carbon city. We need a mayor with the vision and ambition to make that happen.’
Electric vehicles are just part of that policy, after a recent YouGov survey found that the general public called for a rapid phasing out of diesel buses and taxis. There was also a high demand for encouraging more electric vehicles and charging points, and speeding up the Ultra-Low Emission Zone which will reduce the number of diesel cars in London, due to start in 2020.
The new mayor has vowed to introduce a Clean Bus Corridors scheme which would prioritise new, clean buses for those services that run on the most polluted roads in the city, in addition to a promise to call upon the Government for an introduction of a diesel vehicle scrappage scheme to support those who wish to change to a greener car.
