A new all-electric 27-tonne refuse vehicle is now collecting waste and recycling from North Northamptonshire residents. The Dennis Eagle eCollect is quieter than traditional refuse trucks and has zero local emissions. It will reduce the council’s carbon footprint, saving 60,000 litres of diesel and £75,000 over its lifetime.
North Northamptonshire Council’s vehicle partner, Specialist Fleet Services (SFS), has provided the vehicle on contract hire as part of a significant vehicle replacement programme awarded in 2022.
Cllr Matt Binley, North Northamptonshire Council’s Executive Member for Highways, Travel and Assets, said: ‘The arrival of this new electric vehicle is a step towards a cleaner and quieter waste fleet and will help us become carbon neutral by 2030. Our plans to be greener are a team effort, and we are thankful to the team at SFS for helping us access the latest electric vehicle technology. Every small change we make will help make a big difference in the long term and, on this occasion, residents shouldn’t notice much change, except from a quieter vehicle doing the rounds.’
Bob Sweetland, Managing Director of SFS, said: ‘We are delighted to be helping North Northamptonshire Council achieve its environmental goals by reducing its fleet’s carbon footprint and introducing alternative fuel technologies. At the same time, we remain committed to delivering cost savings and improving operational efficiency wherever possible.’
Richard Taylor, Sales and Marketing Director, Dennis Eagle, commented: ‘We have had the pleasure of working with Specialist Fleet Services since the early 90s, and since then, they have built a great reputation as a leading contract hire and fleet management company in the UK. The eCollect is the only fully integrated OEM electric RCV on the market, ideal for working in Low-Emission Zones and Clean-Air Zones, and will be an asset to North Northamptonshire Council.’
SFS celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2023 and has an extensive track record in delivering fleet and workshop management solutions to local authorities across the UK. Before the contract with North Northants Council, SFS was a fleet provider to Kettering Borough Council for over 17 years before becoming part of the unitary authority. The company runs a nationwide network of workshops and operates its own specialist vehicle hire division, CTS Hire, to provide short- to medium-term municipal vehicles.
