Breaking down England's fiscal devolution plans
David Phillips of the IFS tells LocalGov why England's regional finance reforms are modest by global comparison and what ministers still need to get right.
Transport: City set to welcome small yellow taxi that’s actually green
They’re not your typical big yellow taxis, but these eco-friendly Microcabs are set to have a big impact on the streets of Birmingham next year.
The tiny urban vehicles are powered by hydrogen fuel cells, are pollution-free, and virtually silent. They can complete more than 160km on each full tank of hydrogen, and the only emission they produce is water vapour.
The Microcab prototype, pioneered by Coventry entrepreneur John Jostins, has received government funding to allow a trial of five vehicles to operate in Birmingham next year. It is expected some 1,500 Microcabs will be produced each year by 2012, if the trial is successful.
Jostins is a senior lecturer at Coventry University and has worked closely with the university’s facilities in vehicle design and research team to develop the prototype.
The Microcab has also been shortlisted for the Lord Stafford Awards, to be held in November.
