Major UK city rejects self-driving vehicle trials despite Labour backing new pilot schemes

The Mayor of Bristol has rejected calls for the city to host trials of self-driving cars, arguing that money could be better spent on delivering better bus services.

Labour announced in May that Britons were "one step closer" to being able to book taxi and bus-style self-driving vehicles through new UK-wide applications.

The Department for Transport outlined that companies would be able to bring autonomous vehicle technology to Britain's roads via pilot schemes.

It stated that local transport authorities, like Transport for London, would need to provide local consent, while the Government would undertake rigorous safety and security checks.

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However, despite the prospect of innovation and a huge windfall for the local economy, the Mayor of the West of England has rejected calls for the technology to be used on its streets.

Labour Mayor Helen Godwin said that the focus should be on better buses, as well as focusing on trains, stations and mass transit.

At present, self-driving trials are only active in London, with Waymo autonomous vehicles travelling around the capital, although someone is positioned in the driver's seat.

Waymo has positioned its self-driving technology as the "world's most experienced driver", with more than 200 million miles travelled.

The technology uses LiDAR (light detection and ranging), cameras and radars to deliver a 360-degree view of its surroundings up to 300 metres away.

The technology is already available in more than 15 major cities across the United States, including San Francisco, Los Angeles and Phoenix.

Despite this, Mayor Godwin told Bristol Live: "With record transport investment from Government, we will get the West moving - and that needs a steady hand on the wheel."

While the West of England has rejected the idea of self-driving vehicles on the road, the Government is pushing ahead with trials and pilot schemes.

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Simon Lightwood, Roads and Buses Minister, said the pilot scheme of taxi and bus-style self-driving vehicles will give passengers a "first-hand" experience of the burgeoning technology.

"Self-driving vehicles represent a transformative opportunity for Britain, opening up independent travel for disabled people and older adults, whilst driving growth and creating high-skilled jobs across the UK," the Labour MP for Wakefield and Rothwell said.

Several other companies are also planning to launch self-driving trials across London in the coming months, including Uber and Lyft.

Both of the ride-hailing companies will work with Chinese giant Baidu to bring its Apollo Go driverless taxi service to the capital this year.

Estimates from the Department for Transport suggest that the self-driving sector could create up to 38,000 jobs by 2035, in addition to being worth a staggering £42billion.

The Automated Vehicles (AV) Act will ensure that self-driving technology transforms travel in line with road safety and accessible transport options.

Ben Loewenstein, Head of Policy and Government Affairs for the UK and Europe at Waymo, emphasised that the UK was "leading the way" in enabling the deployment of pilot autonomous vehicle schemes.

He said: "We are working closely with the Department for Transport and Transport for London to ensure our operations align with their goals. We are excited to bring our world-leading, fully autonomous ride-hailing service to the UK, and help make transport in London safer and more accessible."

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