Agenda item

Report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place)

The Cabinet considered a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place), which set out proposals for the installation of 39 rapid charging point for electric and hybrid taxis and private hire vehicles in the City.

The Cabinet noted that Coventry was at the cutting edge of the automotive industry and a leader in innovation and that electric vehicles lay at the heart of this development and, following a successful bid, there was the opportunity to promote a move towards electric taxis.

The Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) had £500m available to grow the market for ultra low emission vehicles (ULEVs) from 2015-20 and had offered grants to support the wider use of electric and hybrid vehicles.  The Coucnil submitted a bid to OLEV in December 2016 and were successful in securing £1.2m funding in March 2017 to install 39 rapid charging points for taxis and private hire vehicles.

The priority of the project was to encourage existing taxi drivers to purchase an electric taxi and establish an accessible charging infrastructure within the City to support the use of electric taxis.  OLEV would fund 75% of the cost of a charge-point and 25% match funding would be required.  This match funding could be invested by the Council or by service provider/consortiums.  Market testing had shown a keen interest from sever service providers/private consortiums for the 25% investment in this project.

The Cabinet were advised that the Council was also preparing a further bid to OLEV for residential on street charging points for delivery in 2018/19 and 2019/20.  A residential on street charge point survey would be published online to identify general locations of interest and it was intended to submit the bid by March 2018.

It was noted that electric car charging infrastructure could also help support future development opportunities in Coventry, including provision of charging points at park and ride sites to provide a more convenient way of travelling into the city centre and key employment sites.  This would allow drivers to park their vehicle on charge and finish their journey by foot, cycle, bus, or potentially in the future Very Light Rail.  Electric charging points would also be required to be installed in 5% of all new car parking spaces in Coventry, as set out in the Council Plan.

Coventry was the centre for electric taxi manufacturing, with London Electric Vehicle Company, Frazer Nash / Metrocab and Dynamo Motor Company all building vehicles in the city.  The Council was working with the companies to identify how to incentivise the uptake of electric taxis on the city’s streets, including potentially increasing the number of licenses for electric taxis. 

The project would ensure that the charging infrastructure was in place to support electric taxi growth in the City and it was acknowledged that the work would also form an important element of the Council’s desire to improve air quality in the City.

RESOLVED that the Cabinet:-

1.  Approve that the Council acts as accountable body for the £1.2m ULEV funding and delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) to enter into the necessary funding agreements to secure, in consultation with the Cabinet Member for City Services and the Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration.

2.  Delegate authority to approve charging point locations to the Director of Transport and Highways, following consultation with the Cabinet Member for City Services and Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration.

3.  Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) following consultation with the Cabinet Member for City Services and Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration to procure and enter into partnership with the successful service provider / private consortium over a 10-15 year period, which includes an agreement regarding revenue sharing between the two parties.

4.  Agree to ring fence revenue income generated through the delivery of this project to increase further similar assets.

5.  Delegate authority to the Deputy Chief Executive (Place) following consultation with the Cabinet Member for City Services and Cabinet Member for Jobs and Regeneration to submit a bid to OLEV for residential charging points, and if successful, become the accountable body and enter into relevant funding and legal agreements.