Freelance sales manager Michael Harper and TTS director Caroline Anderson with the Toyota iQ, one of the cars that qualifies. Picture by Tony Pike (00685598)

MORE and more Islanders are opting for low-emission cars to save cash on parking.

Since the States introduced a reward scheme for green vehicles last year, 48 permits have been issued, entitling the owners to a 50 per cent reduction on the cost of all States parking, including scratchcards and season tickets.

To be eligible for a permit, cars have to have an internationally recognised emissions rating of less than 100 grammes of carbon dioxide per kilometre. Hybrids also qualify if they have a rating of less than 120 grammes per kilometre.

The idea was the brainchild of former Transport Minister Guy de Faye, who ensured that his officers got a workable and simple scheme up and running. To join the scheme, you have to get a permit from Transport and Technical Services and go to Sand Street to buy your scratchcards and tickets which are stamped with your permit number.

Robert Cabot, an assistant traffic engineer at TTS, said: ‘The scheme has been fairly successful in terms of encouraging people to switch to low-emission cars. We have had one company which bought their fleet of five or six low-emission cars on the basis that they could get discounted parking. The JEC also has six electric cars which conform, and they have all been issued with permits.

‘The scheme ties in with what the UK government are doing and with the Transport for London policy, so manufacturers are bringing out cars which conform to it. When we introduced the initiative, there were four cars which conformed; now I think there are at least eight.’

Mr Cabot added that he was pleased to see Freelance garage marketing their Toyota iQ models on the fact that the States were offering discounted parking.

He said: ‘Jersey driving conditions probably favour the hybrids, which is why so many taxi drivers are buying them. I think they are getting good fuel economy. Hybrids are included in the scheme because of their ability to run on electricity when in queues around town, so are good for local air quality.’

The cars which currently qualify are: Seat Ibiza Ecomotive 1.4 TDI 5dr; Ford Fiesta Econetic TDCi DPF 3dr; Ford Fiesta Econetic TDCi DPF 5dr; Toyota iQ 2 1.0 VVT-I 3dr; Toyota iQ 1.0 VVT-I 3dr; Volkswagen Polo 1.4 TDI BlueMotion 1 3dr; Volkswagen Polo 1.4 TDI BlueMotion 1 5dr; Volkswagen Polo 1.4 TDI BlueMotion 2 3dr; Volkswagen Polo 1.4 TDI BlueMotion 2 5dr; Smart diesel fourtwo cabrio; Smart diesel fourtwo coupé; Toyota Prius 1.5 VVT-I Hybrid; Honda Civic Hybrid 1.4 IMA ES; Honda Insight.

Mr Cabot advised anyone thinking of buying a car to qualify for discounted parking to check that any extras did not take the car over the qualifying emissions threshold. He said, for example, that air-conditioning on a BlueMotion could mean that it was no longer eligible.

Freelance sales manager Michael Harper and TTS director Caroline Anderson with the Toyota iQ, one of the cars that qualifies. Picture by Tony Pike (00685598)