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Electric black cab a first for borough

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Sleek, modern and eye-catching, Steven McClymont’s new black cab is already wowing his customers.

Yet not only is it impressing them with its smooth ride, spacious feel and free wifi the black cab is also doing its bit for the environment.

For this is no ordinary black cab – it is the first electric Hackney carriage to hit the streets of the borough and it is turning heads wherever it goes.

Steven, also known as Jimmy, said: “There are 1,200 people in Greater Manchester who die every year due directly to air pollution so we have to do something. This will be making a huge difference as my old diesel cab would have been contributing a lot of air pollution which we now know is a great health risk.”

Using the electric charging points across the borough Steven gets around 65 miles with each charge and uses minimal petrol – usually costing him around £20 a week compared to his old fuel bills of around £200 a week.

The LEVC cab has been hitting the streets for the past seven weeks and already Steven is seeing a massive difference to his work.

“Compared to the old cabs it’s so much more comfortable and the technology is proven,” added Steven. “Every customer I’ve had in the cab so far has commented on how nice it is to get in a cab that is comfortable to ride in.

“I’ve seen massive savings so far on my fuel and the warranty means I’m covered for all repair bills for the next few years so the actual saving over the year will be huge.

“I’m surprised more people aren’t going for them but I think the price tag does put people off. But if you combine the savings on fuel and maintenance it’s not costing any more to run an old diesel cab.

“I come home from work so much happier because it’s an amazing vehicle. Also it takes around 30 minutes for me to charge it up so I’m using it as an opportunity to go for a walk so it’s also great for my health too and can help others when we spend all day sat down.”

Councillor Joanne Marshall, lead member for greener Wigan, said: “Steven is clearly very passionate about making a difference to our environment and is a great example of how we can all do things differently to improve our borough’s health and wellbeing. “As he quite rightly says air pollution is the cause of 1,200 deaths a year in Greater Manchester so it is vital we all think about the impact our day-to-day lives can have on others. Wigan Council is committed to maintaining good standards of air quality across the borough by working collaboratively with partner organisations to mitigate any issues that may impact on the borough’s air quality.”

Find out more about how to help reduce air pollution.

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