THE COUNTY council subsidised VOCA taxi service being launched by Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company will operate ten brand-new ‘green vehicles’ at an estimated cost of about £250,000.

The not-for-profit taxi service in Whitehill and Bordon promises to operate 18-hours every day of the year and charge the same as bus fares is set to be launched next year.

VOCA on-demand travel and transport service is being set up by the Whitehill & Bordon Regeneration Company and will charge just £4 one way for a trip in the town, and just £10 to Liphook rail station.

But despite the investment and cheap fares, Mike Steevens of AJL Cars in Whitehill insists local taxi operators are keen to work with the new service that will be run by AMK Cars of Liphook.

He said: “The idea was put forward a year ago, but no-one has spoken to us about it.

“I have nothing against AMK – but if we had known about this, local drivers could have put together a bid to run the service.

“And we are happy to work with the regeneration company, and hopefully going forward they might try to work with us on it.”

VOCA destinations will generally be within a five-mile radius of the town, but will also include train stations, shopping centres, GP surgeries, schools and Basingstoke Hospital.

East Hampshire District Council assistant portfolio holder for Whitehill and Bordon, Phillip Davies, said: “I am pleased to support the VOCA proposal. It will help get people to and from rail stations and other public hubs seven days a week, and at public transport rates. Its electric vehicles will help tackle climate change and it will discourage driving and parking at rail stations and clogging residential roads.

“From the start, the regeneration company committed to work with and use local businesses and local professional drivers, including taxi drivers, to better support our economy.”