{"id":93660,"date":"2025-02-21T15:09:30","date_gmt":"2025-02-21T15:09:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=93660"},"modified":"2025-02-23T18:33:01","modified_gmt":"2025-02-23T18:33:01","slug":"grant-to-improve-cardiffs-air-quality-is-not-enough-say-taxi-drivers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2025\/02\/21\/grant-to-improve-cardiffs-air-quality-is-not-enough-say-taxi-drivers\/","title":{"rendered":"Grant to improve Cardiff’s air quality is not enough, say taxi drivers"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

\u00a3200,000 has been set aside to help upgrade to electric cars and less harmful diesel models <\/h4>\n\n\n\n

TAXI drivers say that grants available to help improve air quality in Cardiff are not enough to help them upgrade their cars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A total of \u00a3200,000 has been set aside to help hackney carriage drivers trade up to electric cars, or modern diesel models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since 2012, the World Health Organisation<\/a> has classified diesel engine exhaust as “carcinogenic to humans”.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About 700 taxi drivers operate in Cardiff and as Cardiff council says the average driver clocks up between 25,000 and 45,000 miles each year, air quality is affected if they drive older models.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The grant offers up to \u00a310,000 towards buying an electric car, and \u00a35,000 or \u00a36,000 for upgrading to a modern diesel engine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“For my point of view, upgrading is too expensive. Some people like it, but I can’t afford to,” said Mohammed Nawaz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I start at 11am and only get two jobs, the work conditions are very poor. I can’t afford a new car even with the council money.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A new LEVC’s TX, which is a popular electric black cab, costs around \u00a365,000. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Mohammed