Islington Council has purchased a further 29 Ashwoods hybrid vans, based on 3.5-tonne Ford Transits, in a bid to lower its exhaust emission levels and fuel bills.
The order brings the total number of hybrid vans with regenerative braking on the council's fleet to 37 – the largest local authority fleet of hybrid light commercial vehicles in the UK.
Fleet and depot manager Chris Rutherford says the vehicles – a mix of panel vans and tippers used by Islington's Parks & Environment team – will reduce CO2 emissions by 33 tonnes, and save the council d £48,000 in diesel over the next three years.
"Islington has been committed to greener purchasing for many years," says Rutherford.
"With these hybrid vehicles we can green our fleet in a way that also reduces the burden on the public purse by lowering fuel spend," he continues.
"The drivers like them because they are hassle-free. There is no extra maintenance, or operator training. They run just like normal Transits."
Islington is also trialling Ashwoods' Lightfoot in-cab driver behaviour system, which advises the driver on how to drive vans in the most fuel-efficient manner, by using real-time audio and visual aids in the cab.
