As many local authorities across Britain wrestle to improve local services against ever present pressures on funding, the London Borough of Hackney is showing exemplary leadership in the way it delivers top quality environmental services, optimises utilisation of its owned and in-house managed vehicle fleet – and then shows significant financial savings.
Amongst the latest additions to the fleet are four Boughton equipped Scania rigids … but with a difference. Two are fitted with Boughton PR18 skip loaders and Intacova integrated auto-sheeters … but equipped for the dual role of conventional skip handling – and short notice redeployment as gritters for winter maintenance. The units have the ability to return to depot to self-load with demountable Econ gritter units and plug into ready installed in-cab controls to fulfil the dual-purpose operation.
The other two new units are standard Boughton hook loaders with CMd Kwikcova auto-sheeting systems and mounted on 8x2 Scania rear steer chassis. These will operate between Hackney’s canal side transfer depot and external MRFs, with residue going out for incineration at London Energy at Edmonton.
All four vehicles are specified to meet the latest regulations and requirements for operation in the inner city … so ULEZ and Euro VI compliant … but Hackney have gone further by including all mandatory and optional features to make the vehicles as high standard, ‘Green’ and futureproof as possible. All meet the latest direct vision standards and bristle with additional safety features including telematics, cycle safety, anti-theft and anti-idle technology, additional windows to passenger doors and recording multi-camera systems.
All the new vehicles are also capable of running on HVO (Hydro Treated Vegetable Oil) so the objective – indeed already being achieved, is 80% carbon efficient and up to 69% NOX efficient … all of which delivers added benefits for global warming and local air quality. By next year, Hackney’s entire HGV fleet will be Euro VI, ULEZ and DVS compliant.
