Mayor goes green with fuel saving car switch

1.56.55pm GMT Mon 5th Mar 2007

The Mayor of Richmond upon Thames is leading by example in the borough's drive to become England's greenest - he has swapped his official car from a Daimler to a fuel efficient hybrid.

The First Citizen of the borough will now travel on official business in a brand new Toyota Prius, which runs on electric power at low speeds and is capable of up to 65 miles to the gallon. The purchase is the latest step in Richmond Council's efforts to combat climate change and become the most sustainable borough in the country. In January, the Cabinet voted to implement groundbreaking new residents' permit charges based on the CO2 emissions of their vehicles. At low speeds the new 1.5 litre petrol electric hybrid runs on battery power, which is recharged at higher speeds and under braking. It replaces the 4 litre Daimler DS420 previously used for official travel.

The Mayor, Cllr Bill Treble, said: "Climate change is the biggest issue facing the planet today and the only way we can combat it is through changing our behaviour. As the first citizen of the borough it is appropriate that I should lead by example and I'm more than happy to have this superb new Prius. It represents the cutting edge of fuel-efficient technology and will massively reduce carbon emissions generated by Mayors' engagements - on average more than 300 trips every year. In its day the Daimler was a fabulous car, but with its big engine it was never the most fuel efficient. Now that it's past its best, driving it is simply not an option. Our first consideration when looking for a new car for the Mayor was to find one which was the most fuel efficient and least polluting. I hope that residents will follow the Council's lead and make emissions a key consideration when buying a new car."