News

Council Bids For Electric Car Funding

Tuesday July 10 2012

Coun Roy Miller and Darren Richardson, assistant director for Environmental Services, testing the Twizy.

BARNSLEY Council has bid for funding to buy two electric cars to make staff visits greener.

It has already trialled the 'Twizy' by Renault and is preparing a bid to DEFRA for two vehicles for use by staff.

The Twizy can be charged off a standard mains supply, has a range of 100km and can carry two people.

Coun Roy Miller, cabinet spokesman, said: “We are committed to finding more environmentally sustainable ways of undertaking our business.

"Daily business travel is part of that. Through these short term trials we aim to gather information on the potential benefits that will ultimately influence the vehicle type we hope to purchase should Defra grant funding. If the bid is successful, this will enable the purchase of two electric vehicles that would be used where the benefits are greatest.

“If our employees have choices such as these, even in such limited numbers initially, it does provide an alternative option to the high dependency we have on petrol and diesel.“

The council will find out in October if its bid has been successful.

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Reply Posted by Mick on Tuesday July 10 2012 at 13:09

This is a joke,the country is on its arse and the people whe should be saving money is wasting it on stupid electric cars,if you want to make the place greener then get the councillors to ride a push bike each,

WHAT IS THIS COUNTRY CONING TO???????

Reply Posted by John on Tuesday July 10 2012 at 13:29

If the councillors want to be greener, why don't they take the bus like a lot of Barnsley folk?

Quite apart from that, electric cars aren't as 'green' as people generally think anyway. Though they kick out less pollution from the exhaust, the damage that those HUGE batteries do to the environment in their creation, use, and destruction totally negates any environmental benefits that they may have in the short term. From the beginning of its life to the end, an electric car can do more harm to the environment than a standard diesel or petrol car. I believe the most environmentally sound thing to do is actually keep an older car on the road and prolong it's scrapping as long as possible. Or, take the bus.

Though I appreciate this bid is probably intended to impress the public, I think Barnsley council should think twice before wasting this money.

Reply Posted by roy on Tuesday July 10 2012 at 13:59

Nowts greener than walking

Reply Posted by Joe Public on Tuesday July 10 2012 at 19:05

How about reducing number of councillors with their heads in the trough. Wombwell has three that claim nearly £90,000 per year in expenses. Darfield also has three councillors, why ?????? Reduce it to three for both areas and save a fortune ! Also stop them attending meetings in threes and claiming £95 EACH in expenses per meeting !!! They have little purpose and no influence in council !!!! Waste of money, put it into NHS or policing !

Reply Posted by Derek on Wednesday July 11 2012 at 09:08

try catching the bus, these cars dont even come with windows so what about when it rains and theft.

Reply Posted by king louis on Wednesday July 11 2012 at 18:22

calculate the purchase cost of these two vehicles add running costs over three years including tyres and other costs to the top figure...then be honest about their resale value and use that real cost figure to fund the use of taxi's occasionally and the use public transport as often as it's possible for your employees who would be playing in the cars...then use the rest of the money thats saved by not buying them to cut the council tax bill or give another Barnsley person a job!

Reply Posted by king louis on Wednesday July 11 2012 at 18:33

£14,000.00 for two cars
£ Insurance?
£ Running Costs
£ Repairs
£ Battery Hire... £90.00 per month hire for two cars in battery hire alone

Reply Posted by Freeman on Wednesday July 11 2012 at 18:49

Haha, roy, you're awesome! Nowts greener than walking, hahaha! :o) And as for this story, roy is only just funnier than this completely ridiculous decision by Barnsley Council. I applaud their complete audacity, their unprecedented attainment in head-up-arse budget management skills, and the outstanding level of complete disregard for anyone else at all. This really is a stunner, a thing of beauty unseen by human eyes, ever before...ever...thanks guys, for making it clear that you absolutely do not give a toss about me or anyone else, while you eat your subsidised breakfast on your subsidised electric motorcar, powered by subsidised electric. No, no its fine. I'll pay for it. Please, have a subsidised coffee while you sit warming by our subsidised heater in this building...that is subsidised. Its fine. Really.

Reply Posted by Freeman on Wednesday July 11 2012 at 19:05

and...John, with your points about the car's batteries...how would you like to be a Barnsley Councillor? I know you wouldn't fit in at first with your considered view points and sound logic, but we could all live in the hope that after time mixing amoungst the rest of the members that, maybe, just maybe, some rationality and down right gumption might rub off. All it takes is that one spark, and you never know...you may yet be able to polish a turd.

Reply Posted by Hacked off on Wednesday July 11 2012 at 19:46

With all the flooding, pot holes, already a new traffic top of the range spy car it's about time they had a reality check!! When were the drains last cleaned out? This use to be a regular occurrence years ago. They are full of crap preventing rain water running down them and being used for the purpose they were initially put there for. It's about time the concil tightened their belts like the majority of the residents in their town.

Reply Posted by Richard on Saturday July 14 2012 at 20:22

What a waste of tax payers money! why don.'t you catch the bus? Ride a bike? Or even oh dare I say it walk like the rest of us mortals!