Brighton and Hove mayor hails a cab after electric car hitch (From The Argus)
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Brighton and Hove mayor hails a cab after electric car hitch
11:50am Friday 27th July 2012 in News By Tim Ridgway, Local government reporter
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Brighton and Hove mayor Bill Randall with the electric car
It was billed as an eco-friendly way to carry the country’s first Green mayor to hundreds of community events a year.
But the electric car leased to Brighton and Hove City Council left the city’s first citizen in a spin after it ran out of power about 30 miles from home.
The incident meant Brighton and Hove mayor Bill Randall had to spend about £70 on a taxi to get him to another engagement on time.
This was enough money to pay for the car to be fully charged 28 times.
Despite this mishap, council officials said there had been no decision on whether the car will be kept beyond its initial six-month loan period.
An announcement about the Renault Fluence ZE was made after Coun Randall was appointed mayor for the year in May.
At the time, Coun Randall said: “This is great news, not just for the environment, but for the taxpayer too as the electric car won’t cost them a penny.
“I think it sends out a good message and I’m sure Renault only did it because we are a Green council.”
The council is covering running costs for the electric replacement during the loan period and considering buying its own electric car.
Working well
A council spokesman said: “We’re happy with the performance of the electric car so far.
“Early indications suggest it works well around the city and may be making savings for us in fuel costs.
“However, until the six-month free trial period is over no decisions will be made on whether to continue using an electric vehicle.
“We did have an incident recently during a visit to Chichester when topping up the charge took longer than anticipated and the mayor needed to be back in Brighton and Hove.
“As a result the mayor had to get a taxi back to Brighton.
“We will be taking this into account as part of our six-month review.”
The former mayor’s car, a hybrid Toyota Prius, has been put up for sale.
Comments(28)
GIVE UP
says...
12:06pm Fri 27 Jul 12
NickBrt
says...
12:08pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Gardenboy
says...
12:12pm Fri 27 Jul 12
GIVE UP
says...
12:17pm Fri 27 Jul 12
george smith
says...
12:19pm Fri 27 Jul 12
sbiscorrupt wrote:It is also quicker!!! appears not to like travelling with the plebs
'Had' to get a taxi?... What's wrong with a much cheaper train journey?
kkj
says...
12:42pm Fri 27 Jul 12
george smith wrote:Paragraph 3. Read it.
sbiscorrupt wrote:It is also quicker!!! appears not to like travelling with the plebs
'Had' to get a taxi?... What's wrong with a much cheaper train journey?
Jagmanmc
says...
1:06pm Fri 27 Jul 12
george smith
says...
1:12pm Fri 27 Jul 12
kkj wrote:Yes but the train is quicker from Chichester than by car to Brighton
george smith wrote:Paragraph 3. Read it.sbiscorrupt wrote: 'Had' to get a taxi?... What's wrong with a much cheaper train journey?It is also quicker!!! appears not to like travelling with the plebs
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
1:23pm Fri 27 Jul 12
The silly car fails to work and then he takes a £70 taxi to an appointment at our expense no doubt.
I hope he pays the fee from his own pocket if it was the Greens who chose to use an electric car.
And what a nerve taking a taxi when he expects the rest of us to use public transport.
They really take the biscuit and are a laughing stock of the UK.
Pebbles
says...
1:24pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Does this set an example to the rest of us???
Was this caught on the CCTV cameras??
NickBrt
says...
1:26pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Fight Back
says...
2:01pm Fri 27 Jul 12
NickBrt wrote:To be fair to Cllr Randall he's one of the few good Green Councillors. At least he can string a sentence together, sounds intelligent when he speaks and doesn't play the shouting game that Kitcat does.
As a resident living in Randall's constituency I call upon him to resign as he has now made Brighton and Hove a total laughing stock. If he has one ounce of decency he WILL resign. But I won't hold my breath.
That said he should have caught the train TO Chichester rather than driven. And what idiot Green thought an electric car was a good idea in the first place ? DOH !
HJarrs
says...
2:13pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Hovite
says...
2:13pm Fri 27 Jul 12
george smith
says...
2:22pm Fri 27 Jul 12
HJarrs wrote:Do the greens pay you to defend what they do/
I can see the usual mob were salivating at this one.
Fight Back
says...
2:29pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Hovite wrote:If that's the case then Kitkat is making Randall look very very good.
To be fair Fight Back, he was moved on from being the leader of the Greens to Mayor because he wasn't any good at it.
Dealing with idiots
says...
2:32pm Fri 27 Jul 12
salty_pete
says...
2:36pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Hovite
says...
2:48pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Fight Back wrote:I didn't say that JK was better but I know that BR was pushed into the role of Mayor. I am sure that BR was a little insulted but chose to wear the gown to save face, even if his bum does look big in it.
Hovite wrote:If that's the case then Kitkat is making Randall look very very good.
To be fair Fight Back, he was moved on from being the leader of the Greens to Mayor because he wasn't any good at it.
Point
says...
3:09pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Point
says...
3:11pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Maxwell's Ghost
says...
4:03pm Fri 27 Jul 12
mackeson
says...
4:44pm Fri 27 Jul 12
lorrie1
says...
8:31pm Fri 27 Jul 12
watch for your council tax bill next year
Morpheus
says...
9:37pm Fri 27 Jul 12
Sussex jim
says...
12:56pm Sun 29 Jul 12
Idontbelieveit1948
says...
8:13pm Sun 29 Jul 12
sbiscorrupt says...
12:01pm Fri 27 Jul 12
What's wrong with a much cheaper train journey?