Mayor’s Prius Sets Stevenage A Green Example
The Mayor of the Hertfordshire town of Stevenage has broken with tradition – by switching to hybrid synergy drive for his new official car. Councillor Graham Clark has started using a Toyota Prius to fulfil his official engagements.
The five-door Prius hatchback is a black T-Spirit model with black leather interior. The top grade was chosen to provide the Mayor with the benefits of satellite navigation, Bluetooth communications technology and the safety-conscious Intelligent Park Assist system as standard.
The Prius petrol-electric hybrid has low carbon emissions at only 104g/km. Its combined-circuit fuel consumption of 65mpg will make considerable cost-savings possible on a car expected to cover some 15,000 miles a year on official business, much of this mileage around town. The Mayor’s previous car was a Rover 75.
Stevenage Borough Council is committed to a policy of reducing greenhouse gas emissions resulting from its operations, and of promoting the use of fuel sources that provide “the best environmental option with due consideration to economic and operational constraints”.
As a chartered accountant who formerly worked in motor-vehicle distribution, the Mayor is well aware of both the economic and technological advantages of the Toyota Prius. “It is very important that we have a car that is environmentally friendly,” says Cllr Clark. “The council is keen to lead the way in making Stevenage a green and energy-efficient town.
“Our priority in sourcing the new vehicle was to find the most fuel-efficient and least polluting option available, while retaining the attributes of equivalent conventional cars. Having made the move, I hope other motorists in the borough will follow a similar course.”
The Mayor’s Toyota Prius was leased through Days Contract Hire on a three-year replacement cycle, and the supplying business centre is Eden Bridge Toyota of Letchworth.
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