Veolia and Hammersmith & Fulham Council have added eight new electric cargo bikes to expand the fleet to 20 new electric vehicles to make collections and street cleansing cleaner, greener and quieter for residents in the borough.
The fleet now includes eight cargo bikes, eight electric vans, and three street cleansing cage vehicles, as well as one electric Refuse Collection Vehicle (eRCV) which will be used for the new garden waste collection service.
The fleet will improve air quality in the borough by reducing nitrogen oxide (NOx), carbon monoxide (CO) and particulate matter (PM) emissions. With electric vehicles estimated to reduce emissions by 89% compared to their diesel equivalents, this represents a significant way Veolia is supporting Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s ambitious plans of becoming the country’s greenest borough. Cargo bikes will improve service efficiencies as they are able to reach narrower routes such as the Thames Pathway, aiding the team to empty public litter bins and collect fly-tipped waste across the borough.
Since the contract commencement in 2022, food waste services have been introduced for the first time to more than 50,000 households alongside the delivery of wheeled bins for recycling and waste to 16,000 kerbside properties.
A new paid garden waste collection service has now also been introduced for residents in the borough. The weekly collection service will see green waste collected and taken to a composting facility to be turned into high-quality fertiliser, which can then be used to help grow more plants. Garden waste will be collected in the new eRCV, making the service even greener.
Councillor Sharon Holder, Hammersmith & Fulham Cabinet Member for Public Realm, said: “Our waste team continues to ensure H&F’s parks and streets are safe and clean for residents, visitors and local wildlife. The new vehicles will help us go one step further as the waste team will now also be helping to reduce air pollution while they work.”
Scott Edgell, General Manager for Veolia South London, added: “We’re thrilled to have successfully launched these electric vehicles in Hammersmith & Fulham. The new additions to the fleet will lower emissions and contribute towards Hammersmith & Fulham Council’s target of net-zero emissions by 2030, as well as delivering an improved and streamlined service for residents. We’re proud to be leading the way for innovative and sustainable operations.”
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