The Forest of Dean District Council has taken a significant step in its fleet decarbonisation journey with a trial of its first fully electric vehicle.
The 16-tonne battery powered RQ-E Kerb-Sort Romaquip was put through its paces by the council’s waste contractor Biffa over a five-day period.
The crew assessed the driving experience, ease of loading and how well the vehicle performed in tackling the district’s rural geography.
Cllr Andy Moore, cabinet member responsible for waste and recycling at Forest of Dean District Council, said the trial had produced some ‘really promising results’.
‘Our waste and recycling vehicles are reaching the end of their working life. We’re now exploring what’s on the market to replace them while achieving the highest environmental benefits,’ he said.
‘The latest advances in electric vehicle technology, particularly in terms of heavy fleet vehicles, are opening up more options for local authorities looking for sustainable solutions to how they deliver services to residents.
‘We have seen some really promising results from the trial. The feedback will help us move ahead with our vehicle procurement strategy and support our work to make further improvements to the recycling service.’
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