Veolia and its partner Westminster City Council have unveiled a new fleet of upcycled electric vehicles, making street cleansing services in the West End fully electric for the first time. The new electric fleet, which contains 60 vehicles, will be one of the largest operated by a waste and street cleansing contract in any local authority in the UK.
In line with Westminster City Council’s plans to become carbon net-zero by 2040, the electric fleet is set to deliver an 89 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions, compared with a diesel fleet. Veolia also highlights that the fleet will help improve air quality and lower noise pollution, as electric motors are significantly quieter.
Veolia’s energy teams have installed smart charging infrastructure across Westminster’s West End depots in preparation for the rollout of the vehicles, with Farm Street depot in Mayfair now fully electric.
Speaking at the launch event, Gavin Graveson, Executive Vice President Veolia UK & Ireland said: “These electric vehicles demonstrate our commitment to ecological transformation and working with our partner, Westminster City Council to lead the transition away from diesel power. By making this change we’re cutting carbon, making the City cleaner and greener and ensuring the West End is at the forefront of innovation.”
Councillor Rachael Robathan, Leader of Westminster City Council, added: “Air quality is one of the most important issues for our residents, and the move to all-electric vehicle fleets is a key step towards our commitment to be carbon zero by 2030.
“This collection of state-of-the-art electric vehicles will transform the way we clean our streets and collect waste and recycling across Westminster. Cleaning in the West End is now fully electric - and the rest of the City soon will be as we roll out more electric vehicles over the next 12 months.
“We are proud to be working in partnership with Veolia to reduce carbon emissions, improve air quality, and make Westminster a greener and cleaner City for All.”
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How will the government and DMOs address the challenges of including glass in DRS while ensuring a level playing field across the UK?
There's no easy solution to include glass in the DRS while maintaining a level playing field. Potential approaches include a phased introduction of glass, potentially with higher deposits to reflect its logistical challenges. The government and DMOs could incentivise innovation in glass packaging design and subsidise dedicated return points for glass-handling. Exemptions for smaller businesses unable to handle glass might also be necessary. Any successful solution will likely blend several approaches. It must address the differing priorities of devolved administrations, balance environmental benefits with logistical and cost implications, and be supported by robust consumer education campaigns emphasizing the importance of glass recycling.