From Bristol 24-7 www.bristol247.com
Bristol City Council is to invest £125,000 from its Local Sustainable Transport Fund in Go Low, a sustainable travel service for staff.
Go Low provides staff with low-emission and electric cars, as well as electric bikes, as an alternative to using their own vehicle at work.
Around 3,000 staff – including care assistants, housing officers and environmental health officers – use their cars in their job, claiming a mileage rate of 45p per mile against fuel and wear and tear.
In surveys, staff regularly say they would use public transport, walk, cycle or car share if they did not need to use their car as part of their job.
Go Low, a Community Interest Company, provides a sustainable alternative, which can cut the cost of mileage, reduce the impact on the environment and reduce the number of staff making unnecessary car journeys to work.
Executive member for transport Cllr Tim Kent, pictured below in a Go Low electric car, said: “This is very much a spend-to-save initiative. We need a fleet of environmentally-friendly vehicles for staff to use at work – to save money, to save the environment and to save staff making unnecessary commuter journeys in their own vehicles.”
Go Low is testing the new Renault Twizy – an ultra-small, lightweight electric two-seater. Council staff will use the car as part of the evaluation.
Go Low was created and supported by Bristol City Council, University of the West of England, AWP NHS Trust, Avon Fire & Rescue Service, North Bristol Trust and the RUH NHS Trust. All plan to use the service in the near future.
