A NEW electric van that will provide key support to community groups that are delivering essential food and supplies to families in need is coming to Oxford.

With Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council set to launch the UK’s first Zero Emission Zone this August, the van will allow community groups to make zero-emission journeys across the city. The electric van can be hired by community groups for £24 a day to cover the running and maintenance of the vehicle.

Up to eleven volunteer drivers can be covered under the vehicle’s insurance, allowing the Council to offer free insurance cover to nominated drivers from the community groups.

The van has been wrapped in an eye-catching custom design provided for free by the local fleet graphic’s company Adept Graphics. The van’s design displays the Oxford City Council logo along with contact details to allow local community groups to easily enquire about the new service.

The electric van will be kept at Rose Hill Community Centre and will be charged using one of the centre’s charging ports.

Many organisations in Oxford provide free or low-cost ways for residents to supplement their weekly grocery shop. This includes groups such as Oxford Community Action, Oxford Mutual Aid, and SYRCOX.

The use of the electric van will enable these groups to organise their collections and deliveries independently. It will also remove the need for volunteers to use their cars and will lead to quicker, more efficient deliveries.

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