Electric refuse lorry showcase
A state of the art electric refuse lorry with zero emissions will be doing the rounds this week as the council gets an exclusive look at the latest waste industry technology.
From the outside, the British manufactured and built Dennis Eagle eCollect refuse lorry looks like a conventional vehicle which is seen on the borough’s roads collecting waste and recycling.
However, the clean machine runs entirely on a battery which would only need to be charged every other day to complete rounds in the borough.
It could be perfect for Slough’s residential areas where the vehicle could operate much more quietly, emitting zero emissions and have less of an impact on residents and waste operatives.
The vehicle was showcased to Cllr Rob Anderson, cabinet member for transport and environmental services, and Richard West, interim director of place and development, as well as staff. Some waste operatives have been trained to use the vehicle and are going to take it out into Chalvey and Cippenham for the rest of the week to work with it.
Cllr Anderson was told that the machine is so quiet gone are the days where residents would listen for the rattle and hum of the refuse lorry before dashing out to put their waste or recycling bin outside their home. In areas where the vehicle has been trialled some residents have been left running down the road in various states of dress trying to catch up with the electric vehicle because they could not hear it arrive.
Slough Borough Council recommends bins should be placed outside a resident’s property by 6am on their designated collection day.
Cllr Anderson was taken for a test drive and said: “It was a very smooth ride, very quiet and very similar to a traditional refuse vehicle, just electric.
“We have the intention to replace all of our fossil fuel vehicles by 2027 at the latest and we are out there already looking at alternatively fuelled vehicles so we are in the right place when vehicles from our existing fleet reach the end of their life and need replacing.
“It will be seen in Chalvey and Cippenham and over the next few days which is a perfect place for the electric vehicle to be tested in tight urban areas, where it will be quieter and healthier for residents and crews alike.”
Nigel Jakubowski, fleet and plant compliance manager, said the council’s current diesel vehicles all currently meet the top environmental standards for such vehicles.
He added: “Lots of councils are really interested in these vehicles with a long waiting list for staff and councillors to get a good look at them. We have been really fortunate to get them working on Slough’s roads as we investigate the suitability of the alternatively fuelled vehicles.”
From the outside, the British manufactured and built Dennis Eagle eCollect refuse lorry looks like a conventional vehicle which is seen on the borough’s roads collecting waste and recycling.
However, the clean machine runs entirely on a battery which would only need to be charged every other day to complete rounds in the borough.
It could be perfect for Slough’s residential areas where the vehicle could operate much more quietly, emitting zero emissions and have less of an impact on residents and waste operatives.
The vehicle was showcased to Cllr Rob Anderson, cabinet member for transport and environmental services, and Richard West, interim director of place and development, as well as staff. Some waste operatives have been trained to use the vehicle and are going to take it out into Chalvey and Cippenham for the rest of the week to work with it.
Cllr Anderson was told that the machine is so quiet gone are the days where residents would listen for the rattle and hum of the refuse lorry before dashing out to put their waste or recycling bin outside their home. In areas where the vehicle has been trialled some residents have been left running down the road in various states of dress trying to catch up with the electric vehicle because they could not hear it arrive.
Slough Borough Council recommends bins should be placed outside a resident’s property by 6am on their designated collection day.
Cllr Anderson was taken for a test drive and said: “It was a very smooth ride, very quiet and very similar to a traditional refuse vehicle, just electric.
“We have the intention to replace all of our fossil fuel vehicles by 2027 at the latest and we are out there already looking at alternatively fuelled vehicles so we are in the right place when vehicles from our existing fleet reach the end of their life and need replacing.
“It will be seen in Chalvey and Cippenham and over the next few days which is a perfect place for the electric vehicle to be tested in tight urban areas, where it will be quieter and healthier for residents and crews alike.”
Nigel Jakubowski, fleet and plant compliance manager, said the council’s current diesel vehicles all currently meet the top environmental standards for such vehicles.
He added: “Lots of councils are really interested in these vehicles with a long waiting list for staff and councillors to get a good look at them. We have been really fortunate to get them working on Slough’s roads as we investigate the suitability of the alternatively fuelled vehicles.”
