Harvie leads charge to get electric pool cars for MSPs

SCOTTISH Parliament bosses were today urged to set up a pool of electric cars and scooters for MSPs to use, to cut down on taxi bills.

Scottish Green leader Patrick Harvie said the move would help reduce carbon emissions and set an example for good environmental practice.

He said the Scottish Government was placing a huge emphasis on the potential of electric cars as part of its transport policy. Earlier this year, ministers said almost all vehicles on Scottish roads would be electric or low-carbon within a decade.

Mr Harvie said: "I think they're being over-ambitious, but it seems reasonable, if we are serious about this, that the government and the parliament should lead by example."

He said about half a dozen electric cars or scooters could be made available for MSPs and staff to use for zipping around Edinburgh.

He said: "There is a fair amount of taxi use, people going to meetings and so on. If it's just within the city, these short journeys could relatively easily be made by electric car or scooter.

"It's not about Draconian rules. I'm not saying there should be no more taxi use. But there are small vehicles which don't use a lot of road space and can be charged for pennies.

"I suspect a lot of manufacturers, including Scottish companies, would jump at the chance of supplying that."

Mr Harvie tabled a series of questions on the issue to the cross-party Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, which is responsible for housekeeping at Holyrood.

In reply, Tory MSP Alex Johnstone, on behalf of the SPCB, said a question on demand for pool vehicles would be included in a travel to work survey planned for next year.

He added, however, that the SPCB had previously provided a pool car, but there was insufficient demand to make it viable. He said the option of joining Edinburgh's City Car Club had also been examined, but it was concluded there was insufficient demand to justify a corporate membership.

Mr Harvie said the parliament could do more to promote the electric pool car idea.

"Really, the parliament creates demand when it decides what it's going to pay expenses for and people respond to these rules. If, for certain types of journey, MSPs were expected to use a pool car and if they chose a taxi instead they had to pay for it themselves, I suspect there would be far fewer people taking taxis."

Mr Harvie also said the parliament garage should have electric points so MSPs could choose to have their own electric cars and plug them in to recharge.

There is currently one electric charging point in the garage, installed for an experimental electric motorcycle used by Lothian and Borders Police.

Mr Harvie said: "If we are going to see more electric cars on the road, people need to be able to charge them at their workplace and we should be setting an example by putting in charging points.

"That would allow people to make a choice about buying an electric vehicle."