Parking services team go all-electric to cut emissions
St Albans City and District Council’s parking services team have moved to all-electric transport to cut back on harmful emissions.
Civil Enforcement Officers and maintenance crews will use the new eco-friendly vehicles.
They include an MG4 hatchback as well as two Peugeot e-Partner and one Peugeot e-Expert vans. They replace hybrid or diesel-powered vehicles.
In addition to this, the CEOs have also been equipped with battery-powered e-bikes for patrols.
The switch to all-electric is in keeping with the Council’s commitment to tackling climate change by cutting emissions to net zero across the District by 2030.
Councillor Helen Campbell, Chair of the Public Realm Committee, had a look at the new vehicles and talked to staff.
She said:
I am delighted that our parking services team are reducing emissions with this move to sustainable all-electric transport.
Our priority as a Council is to improve the District’s environment and this is one of dozens of measures we are taking to fulfil that goal.
I know from talking to the staff that they are right behind this policy. They want to do their bit to tackle the climate emergency by driving cleaner, eco-friendly vehicles.
The initiative follows a move to all-electric vehicles and equipment by the Council’s grounds maintenance contractor John O’Conner.
They ditched petrol-driven machines for battery-powered ones last year for use in maintaining the Council’s green spaces including Verulamium and Clarence parks.
Cllr Campbell said:
I am sure our residents will support this effort to move away from fossil fuels towards all-electric equipment and transport.
EV fleet consultants and leasing company DriveElectric delivered the parking service vehicles.
Mike Potter, Chief Executive Officer of DriveElectric, said:
We are delighted to be working with St Albans City and District Council to decarbonise its fleet. Not only does it help reduce the Council’s carbon emissions, these vehicles also don’t contribute to local air pollution, and for the drivers they’re much easier to drive.
The cost of the new all-electric vehicles is within Parking Service’s approved budget and the old vehicles have been returned to the leaseholder.
Photos: top, Cllr Helen Campbell, Chair of the Public Realm Committee, centre, inspects the new all-electric fleet with CEOs, left to right, Alex, Daniela, Julius and Oskar; bottom, Cllr Campbell with one of the new e-bikes.
Media Contact: John McJannet, Principal Communications Officer, 01727 819533, john.mcjannet@stalbans.gov.uk.