By Molly Kerridge
The government unveiled a £50m plan to create the country’s first all-electric bus town, but several cities have already taken their own steps to reduce their carbon footprint.
Buses are currently the fourth biggest contributor to carbon emissions, behind domestic and long-haul flights and single person car journeys.
However, in 2015, Leicester City Council proposed a plan to increase the uptake of Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs) with a five-year programme funded by the council and the Office of Low Emission Vehicles.
The council set the target to introduce 10,000 new low emission vehicles in the city by April 2021.
Department for Transport figures show that from 2018-19, 2,964 low emission vehicles were introduced in the city of Leicester, as well as 6,956 across Leicestershire.
The proposal from the city council said the vision for Leicester is ‘to be the most forward, sustainable and environmental city in Britain and Europe’.
The city council also aims to transform people’s quality of life by reducing dangerous gases in the air produced by carbon emissions from cars and buses.
