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The Future is Electric

14 October 2020

The Urban Transport Group (UTG) has put together a new Building Back Better paper, urging the UK government to extend more funding to help urban fleets switch to electric. 

The UTG includes Greater Manchester, Liverpool City Region, London, Tyne and Wear, Sheffield City Region, West Midlands and West Yorkshire. The aim of their paper is to convince the government to give transport authorities a steady, long-term flow of funding, and more powers to support a ‘green recovery from Covid-19’. 

Stephen Edwards, Chair of the Urban Transport Group and Executive Director of South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive, said, “Transport authorities proved their mettle in response to the COVID-19 pandemic by keeping the wheels of public transport turning, getting key workers where they needed to be during the lockdown, and have since helped city regions to get back on their feet during the initial recovery phase.

“But to truly build back better from this crisis, they need the longer-term funding certainty and powers necessary to respond adroitly and at scale to the challenges ahead, including climate change. This requires the same radical approach to policy change that we witnessed during the pandemic.”

According to the UTG, ‘The paper sets out what building back better means for urban transport, such as a big increase in active travel, particularly for shorter journeys; simple and affordable public transport fares; an accessible, rapid and reliable public transport network; decarbonised urban vehicle fleets; and green and smart logistics’.

One aspect of how the UTG see this plan in practice, is the introduction of decarbonised vehicle fleets, ‘from taxis to trains, from buses to bin lorries.’ 

At Marshall Leasing, we believe that the future is electric. To find out more about how we can help you switch to an EV, please get in touch on 01480 414541 or email info@marshall-leasing.co.uk. Alternatively, please fill out our contact form.

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