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Addison Lee to offer off-road charge points to drivers who cannot charge EVs at home Mark Bursa Addison Lee drivers will be able to access off-street electric car charging points close to their homes under a new partnership with parking app JustPark. Drivers will be able to find charge points via the FleetCharge by JustPark and Octopus Energy scheme, which provides low-cost off-street charging locations for Addison Lee drivers who currently cannot charge at home. For drivers who work with Addison Lee and do not have off-street parking available to them, JustPark will secure a parking location within a 5-minute walk of their home and install a conveniently placed charging unit. Drivers who rent a JustPark parking space will be given exclusive use of the charger. For those drivers who already have access to offstreet parking, FleetCharge will be available to support the installation process at their homes. The FleetCharge points, which are powered by 100% renewable energy, are being installed by Octopus Energy. The idea is to reduce time spent searching for an available charger on the public network. Drivers are expected to save on average 16 hours of their time each month than if they solely relied on
[from left] JustPark CEO Anthony Eskinazi with Addison Lee CEO Liam Griffin, and EV director Mike Strahlman
the public rapid charging network. The scheme is available to drivers from November 2021, in line with Addison Lee’s roll out of electric vehicles on to the fleet. The plan is supported by Addison Lee’s £3.5m Future of Mobility Fund. Addison Lee announced last month that it plans to transition its standard fleet to fully electric by
2023, with the Volkswagen ID.4 becoming the mainstay of the car fleet. Addison Lee CEO Liam Griffin said: “Many vehicle owners in London and UK cities lack access to off-street parking, and the adoption of electric vehicles will only succeed if drivers have access to a mix of charging options. “We hope that our partnership with JustPark encourages businesses and consumers to take similar, innovative steps to help our city rapidly shift to EVs. We therefore welcome further co-operation between TfL, London boroughs, energy companies, charging providers and businesses as we work together to bolster London’s charging infrastructure at pace.” Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said: “I am delighted to hear about this forward-thinking partnership, with Addison Lee leading the way by supporting its fleet drivers to make the all-important switch to cleaner vehicles.” Anthony Eskinazi, founder and CEO of JustPark, said: “Our FleetCharge solution knocks down barriers to EV adoption and will enable and encourage more fleets to electrify faster than they ever thought possible, and this partnership is just the beginning.”
Addison Lee offers £5,000 first month guarantee in bid to recruit 1,000 new drivers Addison Lee is offering new drivers a guaranteed £5,000 for their first month with the company in a bid to recruit 1,000 new drivers. The payment will be made if the driver completes at least 140 jobs during the month. It is also offering a competitive vehicle rental plan, and drivers do not have to meet the cost of either the Congestion Charge or the Ultra-Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ). The package also includes a pension and holiday pay. Addison Lee said its London business was recovering strongly from the pandemic. Between August and September passenger car journeys grew by over 40%. The company expects to see continued growth throughout the Christmas period. Addison Lee CEO Liam Griffin said: “Throughout the pandemic, we have put drivers first, and as London recovers, we’re delighted to be able to grow the
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driver community with market-leading rates of pay and benefits. Drivers will have a huge role to play in helping people getting around the city as safely and reliably as possible. Our latest recruitment drive is designed to ensure we continue to support existing drivers and meet future demand.” The news follows Addison Lee’s announcement last month that its
standard fleet would become fully electric by 2023, after 86% of drivers said they would be keen to shift to an electric vehicle. The transition builds on Addison Lee’s existing carbon neutrality. Individuals with a PCO licence can apply to drive with Addison Lee at: www.addisonlee.com/private-hiredrivers/register —Mark Bursa
NOVEMBER 2021
