HISTORIC butchers firm Aldens has a special delivery - a new electric vehicle to prepare for Oxford’s zero emission zone.
The company, founded in 1793, has invested £25,200 in a Nissan e-NV200 electric van and wants its whole fleet to be electric within five years as Oxford moves towards a zero emissions zone.
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Previous proposals suggested the zone would see all petrol and diesel taxis, cars and buses excluded from six central streets from 2020.
But in January plans were amended and now only zero emission capable vehicles will be allowed to park or load in a ‘red’ city centre zone – comprising Cornmarket Street, Queen Street, New Inn Hall Street, St Michael’s Street, Ship Street, and part of Market Street – between 10am and 6pm from next year.
An exact date for implementation has not been set.
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Mr Alden, who hired a Penny Farthing bike for a photoshoot featuring the bike and the van, to highlight the firm’s long history in the city, said: “Electric vehicles are the next logical step - we are thrilled to be moving with the times.
“While electric vehicles have been around a long time the technology for refrigerated electric vehicles is still new.
“We want to make our customers more aware of greener delivery methods and help to fulfil Oxford’s ZEZ commitment.
“This is a massive step forward for Aldens.”
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Founded by Isaac Alden, the company was based at Eastwyke Farm in Oxford. Up until the 1970s beef, lamb and pork were reared and slaughtered on the farm and transported to the Aldens shops in the Covered Market.
During the 1980s and 1990s the butchers shop in the market got busier supplying restaurants and colleges.
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With the introduction of new laws regarding the meat industry, the company’s natural progression was to move away from the city centre and build a purpose built production unit on the Osney Mead industrial estate.
The business moved there in 1999.
The latest ZEZ proposals will also force all taxis licensed in the city to be zero emitting by 2025.
Cash has been lined up for 19 electric vehicle charging points in Oxford.
The councils are aiming for a zone excluding all polluting vehicles to be in place by 2037.
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