British bicycle manufacturer Brompton and climate action charity Possible have today released new data highlighting the worst offenders when it comes to polluting mayoral cars.
To encourage civic leaders to lead by example on decarbonising transport, Brompton is offering some Mayors in England and Scotland the chance to swap their vehicle for a brand new electric Brompton bike.
Worst offenders revealed
The study found that several councils still use highly polluting vehicles for official duties. Among them, Glasgow’s Volkswagen Phaeton luxury saloon stands out as the worst offender.
Emitting more than 224g of CO2/Km, it is banned by the city’s own low-emission zone.
Next in line is the London Borough of Hillingdon. They drive a Jaguar XJ that emits over 184g CO2/Km, while simultaneously bringing a legal challenge to the expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
Leading by example
Brompton and Possible have directly contacted ten mayors in England and Scotland offering them the deal.
By swapping their polluting vehicles for e-bikes, Mayors can demonstrate their commitment to the government’s goal to switch half of all short trips in towns and cities to walking and cycling.
The initial offer targets urban local authorities with a track record of using and maintaining polluting vehicles and will be granted on a first-come-first-served basis.
Will Butler-Adams, CEO of Brompton, told Zag Daily: “It is vitally important that local politicians lead by example on tackling climate change. That is why we have made this offer and we are committed to working with them at every level to reduce emissions and improve air quality.
“We’re hopeful that this can be a powerful example of how cycling can revolutionise travel and take the most polluting vehicles out of our towns and cities.”
