Private hire firm helps cut air pollution with drive towards hybrid vehicles

A private hire firm has committed to helping drive down emissions and air pollution in its home city with the transformation of its fleet.

Bradford-based Zip, originally founded as Euro Cars in 1970, has been investing in and supporting drivers with the move to either hybrid or Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs).

Now, the firm has an impressive 97% hybrid fleet and aims to reach 100% within one year.

It is a move which the firm believes is in the best interest of the community, the environment and the drivers as environmental impact becomes more of a concern for everyone.

Transport and Environment Statistics Autumn 2021, published by the Department for Transport, showed that the average C02 emissions from transport for UK local authorities in 2019 was 326.3 kilotonnes.

Leeds and parts of West Yorkshire had some of the highest levels in the country at up to 1,900 kilotonnes of C02.

In October 2020 Leeds was able to drop plans for a Clean Air Zone after businesses moved faster than expected towards cleaner vehicles.

In Spring 2022 Bradford is to introduce a Clean Air Zone for the city centre bounded by the Outer Ring Road and to include the Aire Valley corridor towards Shipley and Saltaire. Private hire cars and hackney carriage taxis will have to pay a £7 charge if they fail to meet required emissions standards.

Sufyaan Pathan, operations manager said the company was committed to doing everything it could to reduce air pollution in Bradford and help its drivers be compliant with upcoming changes:

“Zip might have grown out of a 50-year-old firm but we are a modern, forward-thinking company which has adapted for the world we live in now and for the world we all want to protect and live in for the future.

“With the support of our drivers we have modernised our fleet of cars and almost all of our drivers have invested in the latest ULEVs. This way, customers can be assured we take our responsibilities seriously and our drivers contribute to the worldwide effort to reduce emissions.

“As green technology advances, we will ensure we are at the forefront of the latest developments.”

Zip, which recently underwent a rebrand, has been serving the travelling public of Bradford and neighbouring Leeds, Kirklees and Calderdale for the last five decades.