Durham County Council has acquired 29 new EVs as part of its vehicle replacement programme, which sees vehicles that are due to be renewed replaced with electric versions. The order includes 24 new midi vans, which will be used across services including clean and green, strategic waste, and the allotments team.
A total of five electric vans will be used by neighbourhood wardens dealing with stray dogs. These join the electric refuse collection vehicles, eight electric pool cars and two other midi vans already on the fleet.
This year, Durham County Council hosted the third Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) roadshow at Durham Town Hall. The event, organised by the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV), PA consultants, and the Energy Saving Trust, looked at accessible EV charging and how to expand EV fleets and secure procurement contracts, and attracted more than 100 attendees from local authorities across England.
A funding pot of £383 million is available over the next two years for councils to apply for EV infrastructure projects. Cllr Mark Wilkes, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “Reducing carbon emissions within our own services is a key priority for us as we aim to tackle climate change as a county.
“We are replacing smaller vehicles that are at the end of their use with electric versions, which in the long term will significantly reduce our carbon output as a council, and aim to be able to replace our larger vehicles with EVs in the future. We have also increased our renewable energy production to charge these vehicles. This scheme coincides with our aim to make electric charging more accessible across the county. We are currently in the process of installing 250 public EV charge points, so that residents have the option to travel more sustainably.”
