Helping local authorities achieve green ambitions

As local authorities work towards a greener future, Paul Beddows, head of sales at Dawsongroup sweepers, explains why the municipal sector must embrace alternative fuels when it comes to road sweeping.

Municipal fleets play a vital role in keeping our towns and cities safe and clean. Road sweepers, in particular, are a key vehicle in any local authority’s municipal fleet, removing dangerous materials from pavements and roads, keeping gutters clear and reducing the risk of flooding.

With an estimated 1110 to 2100 tonnes of debris per street acre removed each year, road sweepers cover a lot of ground, on a very regular basis, and without them our environment would deteriorate very quickly. They are essential pieces of equipment that are used daily. But as we step towards greener operations, we must consider the impact of every vehicle in our fleet.

Fuelling change

It is a well-known fact that petrol and diesel contribute significantly to global warming, with transport remaining the largest emitting sector, responsible for 27% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the UK [1]. However, with red diesel no longer legal to use in certain sectors, and with our Net Zero deadline on the horizon, we need to start making changes now to the way we fuel our fleets.

Major businesses are also pledging to go green with their commercial fleets. Just last summer, seven of Britain’s major companies - BP, BT, Direct Line Group, Royal Mail, ScottishPower, Severn Trent, and Tesco - came together to help accelerate the mass adoption of electric vehicles across the UK. Forming the Electric Vehicle Fleet Accelerator (EVFA), these seven companies committed to converting their fleets to electric vehicles by 2030, if both industry and government future proof the electricity network and invest in grid capabilities and EV charging infrastructure.

This pressure to reduce emissions and choose greener fuel sources also extends to local authorities, many of which are increasingly investing in electric when it comes to their fleets. But what about municipal vehicles?

Going green

The benefits of going electric are undeniable. An investment in electric road sweepers will not only cut emissions but it will save councils significant amounts of money on fuel each year, when compared with a diesel or petrol alternative. Electric sweepers also cut noise pollution levels considerably.

We have already started to see some councils making their own green commitments in an attempt to reduce their carbon emissions. For example, Harrow Council has recently welcomed its first fully electric street sweeper to its municipal fleet in a step towards the authority’s carbon neutral pledge. And Watford Borough Council will also be welcoming an electric road sweeper to their fleet soon.

While this is encouraging to see, and these councils should be applauded for making green investments, we need to see this type of uptake happening across the country. Electric vehicles should become commonplace in local authority fleets. The initial investment might be substantial, but the impacts on the environment, pollution levels and the bottom line make it more than worth it.

WWW.DAWSONGROUPSWEEPERS.CO.UK

[1] www.racfoundation.org/motoring-faqs/ environment#a1

Orbitz scrubber dryers strip polish with just water – no stripper – and collect the slurry too.

Unrivalled cleaning performance from Timberline’s Orbitz machines.