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Leasing & Finance

MP visits Rivervale Leasing to discuss eVED, electric minibuses

Rivervale raised concerns over the impact of eVED on businesses and drivers, especially on the refund process.

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MP for East Worthing and Shoreham Tom Rutland (pictured, centre) visited Rivervale Leasing, to discuss eVED and support for community electric minibuses.

Rivervale raised concerns over the impact of eVED on businesses and drivers, especially on the refund process, if a vehicle is returned, sold, or travels fewer miles than expected.

The company estimated that a total tax burden of £1.3m across the constituency would be created through eVED, around £200 per driver.

The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA), which Rivervale Leasing is a member of, said that eVED is the wrong tax at the wrong time, and that it could reduce demand for electric vehicles (EVs).

During Rutland’s visit, Rivervale Leasing also discussed the barriers facing the minibus sector, namely the exclusion of electric minibuses from the Plug-in Van Grant, and concerns over licencing.

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Drivers who received their car licence after 1997 do not have the D1 entitlement needed to drive many minibuses, and more than 2.9 million D1 licence holders are expected to reach 70 years old within the next five years.

Rivervale Leasing warned that community transport is increasingly reliant on a shrinking and ageing pool of drivers, putting the sector at risk.

Rutland said: “It was great to visit Rivervale, meet the team and hear directly about the issues affecting the business, its customers and the wider community.

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“Rivervale is an important local employer in Shoreham, and the visit was a valuable opportunity to discuss how we can make the move to cleaner transport work in practice.

“This includes making electric minibuses more affordable for schools and community groups and tackling the shortage of qualified minibus drivers.

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“I look forward to receiving further information and continuing the conversation with the sector.”

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Vince Pemberton, (pictured, right), CEO at Rivervale Leasing, said: “We were delighted to welcome Tom to Rivervale and show him around the business.

“The visit was a valuable opportunity to explain how national policy decisions affect our customers, local communities and the wider leasing sector.

“As a business supporting drivers, fleets, schools and community organisations across the UK, we see first-hand how these policies affect vehicle decisions in practice.

“We are grateful to Tom for taking the time to listen to our concerns about support for electric minibuses, driver shortages and the practical impact of eVED.”

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Zohra Chagani, tax and economics lead at the BVRLA, said: “Visits like these help show how national policy decisions affect businesses and drivers in the real world.

“The Government has listened to our concerns over eVED, but many challenges remain over this policy that will have a real and tangible impact for our members like Rivervale and the communities they serve.

“Adding a new cost to electric vehicles now could discourage drivers from making the switch at the very time the Government needs demand to grow.

“We are grateful to Tom for engaging with these issues and look forward to continuing to work with him.”

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