West Lindsey District Council has purchased its first electric vans, replacing older diesel vehicles as part of its commitment to be carbon neutral as soon as possible before 2050.
The two vans are part of a gradual fleet upgrade, where older, end of life vehicles, are being replaced with more efficient, cleaner equivalents. The fleet of vans have been reduced from five to two following a move from two depots to one centralised location at Caenby Corner, allowing the council to reduce further its vehicle carbon emissions.
The Caenby Corner depot is a new, energy efficient building, which received Government grant-funding for the installation of rooftop solar and battery storage. This provides renewable power to heating and cooling systems and LED lighting, along with electric vehicle charging points. Other “green” designs include hot water provided by air source heat pumps, and insulation to ensure working environments are comfortable for workers in a way that minimises carbon emissions.
Councillor Stephen Bunney, Chairman of West Lindsey’s Environment and Sustainability Group, said: “It’s great to see our new electric vans around West Lindsey. Our Operational Services Staff use these vehicles every day to carry out their waste management and street cleansing duties and are already finding the vans easy and enjoyable to drive.
“Transport is nearly half of the councils direct carbon footprint, so it’s important that we decarbonise to meet our net zero ambitions and reduce fuel costs.”
Operations Manager Rob Gilliot added:
“The vans were sourced from a local dealer and are the Nissan Townstar EV model – chosen against West Lindsey’s service requirements, sustainability targets, good industry reviews, as well as representing good value for money.
“The new vans are in addition to the installation of solar panels on six waste collection lorries. Fitted at the end of June 2023, they aim to significantly reduce the fleet's fuel consumption, decrease greenhouse gas emissions and lower operational costs. So far, they have helped save over 500 litres of fuel and 1.5 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions! West Lindsey will continue to review its fleet replacement plan in line with technology advances.”
As part of the Council’s climate change action plan, electric vehicle (EV) chargers for public use have been installed at West Lindsey’s Roseway car park in Gainsborough and Market Rasen Leisure Centre.
A full list of public charging points can be found at www.zapmap.com and additional sites will soon be facilitated by the council as funding is released – with the public being invited to suggest locations.
Thinking of upgrading to electric?
If you’re thinking about buying an electric vehicle, you might want to consider these points:
- Unless your car is particularly gas-guzzling, it is usually best to wait until your car is at the end of its life, the most carbon efficient way to switch.
- Even with electric, it is important not to buy a car bigger than you need. Bigger car = higher carbon emissions due to its manufacturing carbon footprint.
- Plug-in hybrids could be a good option if you need the range of a conventional car or do not need a huge battery.
- West Lindsey District Council is currently consulting on next year’s budget where residents can tell us what they think about work and schemes to reduce carbon emissions.
You can read more about the budget on our website here Budget consultation
Information on West Lindsey’s Environment and Sustainability Policies and latest Greenhouse Gas Emissions reports can be found at Climate