Luke Pollard, MP for Plymouth Sutton & Devonport, welcomed Kerry McCarthy, Labour MP for Bristol East and Shadow Minister for Green Transport, to Plymouth on Friday 16^th October. The purpose of the visit was to explore and learn about the sustainable transport being used and developed here.

This included catching a lift on Plymouth City Bus’s hydrogen buses; a visit to Oceansgate to learn about the pioneering work on marine sustainability happening in Plymouth Sound, soon to be the UK’s first Marine National Park; a trip to Princess Yachts to learn about their new, sustainable, flax-seed based boat materials; and finally stopping off at the Barbican, to try out (and drive!) the UK’s first electric ferry.

The boat, which has not only been developed to ferry people from Devon to Cornwall and back, but also to collect data and see how these motors can be transferred to larger commercial vessels – is sure to play a big part in the UK’s commitment to reduce emissions in the maritime sector by 50% by 2050.

Luke says:

“It was great to welcome Kerry and show off what amazing, pioneering, and sustainable work local businesses and Plymouth City Council have been getting up to.

 

We don’t get enough credit as a city, but we are without a doubt top in the field for lots of green transport technology, especially when it’s marine based. Our marine autonomy sector is world-leading, with companies from all over using Plymouth waters to test and improve their vessels.

 

Additionally, our new electric ferry, the e-Voyager, will be the UK’s first sea-going electric ferry. This is a fantastic collaboration between academia and business and places Plymouth firmly on the map in terms of decarbonizing our marine transport.”