The streets in Redcar and Cleveland will be kept clean by a brand-new fleet of Street Sweepers.
The 3.5t Hako Citymaster 1600 Street Sweepers, purchased as part of the Council's Fleet Replacement Programme, have already been deployed across the borough, replacing the old fleet of small sweepers which have reached the end of their life.
These machines are well known for being able to run not only on diesel, but also on Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO), which reduces CO2 emissions by more than 90%, being at a similar price to diesel. This will support the Council's Climate Change Strategy in its target to become net carbon neutral by 2030.
Fleet Manager at Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, Gareth Healy said: “Not only are these Hako machines fitted with one the cleanest engines on the market, but they can also run on HVO fuels which reduce emissions by up to 93%. This will help to limit any impact they have on air quality in the area. Hako are also Blue Angel accredited for the reduced noise levels of their machines."
The Council intends to trial one of the machines using HVO as fuel, while the others will run on diesel in the first instance to ensure their maximum efficiency. The trial is meant to assess the use, performance and practicalities of using this alternative fuel. If the trial is successful, HVO, where practical, will be used in the remaining fleet of small sweepers.
Cabinet Members for Highways and Transport, Cllr Julie Craig, for Neighbourhoods and Housing, Cllr Barry Hunt, and for Climate Change, Environment and Culture, Cllr Louise Westbury made a joint statement. They said: “The wellbeing of our residents and communities will always be at the heart of everything we do. We are always keen to provide them with best quality services.
“For this reason, we are glad to have replaced our old and non-efficient street sweepers fleet with these seven new machines which have not only improved technology, and are thus more efficient in cleaning the streets, but also the potential to help the environment.
“Providing the trial is successful, this will mean another significant progress towards our ambitious goal for Redcar and Cleveland to become carbon neutral by 2030."