London Taxis: 'It's cheaper to use petrol than electricity'
BBC By Thomas Morgan
BBC London
Black-cab drivers are finding it cheaper to run their hybrid taxis on petrol rather than electricity because of rising prices, the BBC has learned.
Drivers relying on rapid and ultra rapid public charging points have seen a 50% price increase in the last year, according to the RAC's Charge Watch.
Taxi drivers' unions are calling for lower prices for on-street charging with a reduction in VAT.
The government said it had generous tax measures for zero-emissions vehicles.
Black-cab driver Kevin Paul has driven his LEVC hybrid taxi in London for six and a half years.
He has to charge it on the street as there are no facilities at his home in Croydon, south London, and said his costs have risen so much, he has been forced to use petrol.
'I don't have a problem with green infrastructure but it needs to be affordable', Mr Paul said.
"The street charger when I first started cost in the region of 7-8. The same charge today, is well over 16, and has nearly doubled in the last year."
