On behalf of the four Black Country authorities, City of Wolverhampton Council applied to the Black Country LEP Local Growth Fund last year to support the delivery of the ULEV programme.

The £130,000 funding will support a five-year delivery framework to accelerate the uptake of ULEVs across the Black Country to tackle climate change and local air pollution.

This will also support the delivery of future capital assets within all four Black Country authority administrative areas.

Ultra-Low Emission Vehicles produce 40 per cent less carbon emissions during their lifecycle than conventional petrol or diesels. When recharged using renewable energy source such as solar or wind, this reduction increases even further.

Councillor Steve Evans, Cabinet Member for City Environment at City of Wolverhampton Council said:

“I’m pleased we have secured this funding from the Black Country LEP Local Growth Fund as it will make a significant impact on making our city cleaner and greener.

“For Wolverhampton, transportation accounts for 31 per cent of total yearly carbon emissions, the majority of which comes from road transport, which can only be reduced through the transition to cleaner fuelled vehicles.

“By securing this funding, we are supporting the transition towards cleaner transportation and away from petrol and diesel vehicles which will ultimately have a positive impact on climate change targets.

“The city council has committed to transitioning all its fleet vehicles to ULEVs, saving the council 2,952 tonnes of carbon each year equating to 15 per cent of the council’s total yearly CO2 output.

“This grant means we will continue to proactively make key changes to make Wolverhampton zero carbon by 2028.”

Article credit: City of Wolverhampton Council