Weekly News Roundup 11-03-22
Electric Bin Lorries
Councils across the UK are turning to electric refuse trucks to help cut carbon.
Local authorities in London, Manchester, and Nottingham are among councils using Electric refuse collection vehicles (eRCVs) as part of their public service fleets.
According to the Manchester council, their fleet of 27 electric bin lorries will save 900 tonnes of carbon emissions a year. Councils in rural areas are also taking advantage of the low emission trucks.
An eCollect eRCV designed by vehicle manufacturer Dennis Eagle is collecting waste from households across Welsh county Powys.
Comment
Powys County Council’s Corporate Director for Economy and Environment Nigel Brinn said:
“This vehicle will reduce carbon emissions by approximately 25-35 tonnes per year compared to a standard, non-electric vehicle and will help us reach the authority’s ambition to become carbon neutral by 2030.”
Drivers Dazzled
A new study from the RAC has found 89% of drivers thought that car headlights were too bright.
The RAC surveyed 2,700 drivers about the increasing issue of drivers dazzled by other vehicles’ headlights. 2 out of 3 drivers think having headlights that are too bright could cause a danger to other drivers.
Government data shows that there are an average of 293 accidents a year where another vehicle has dazzled the driver.
Comment
RAC spokesperson Rod Dennis said:
“The brighter and better your vehicle’s headlights are, the clearer your night-time view of the road ahead is, often it seems at the expense of anyone coming towards you.”
EV Transition Support for Scottish Fleets
Industry experts have joined forces to help more Scottish fleets switch to electric vehicles.
Scottish and Southern Electricity Networks (SSEN) Distribution, SP Energy Networks and Zenobē have teamed up to put together a guide for fleets transitioning to EVs.
As more fleets aim to become decarbonized, the expanding option can leave many not knowing where to start.
The guide will allow businesses to make informed decisions on the best charging infrastructure to support their fleet needs. This will include guidance on their current needs and their plans.
Comment
Andrew Scott, director of connections at SSEN said:
“We are committed to helping power our communities to net-zero and are sharing guidance that will help smooth the customer journey.”
Smart Car Goes on the Banned List
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) has added the fifth vehicle to its banned list for driving tests because of its limited vision.
Learners can sit their test in their vehicle, but it must meet certain criteria.
Drivers of a 2 door Smart Fortwo cannot sit their driving test in the vehicle due to the limited vision caused by their design.
Vehicles for driving tests must give the examiner and the learner a full vision of the road behind them.
Other vehicles the DVSA have banned for their limited vision are:
- BMW Mini convertible
- Ford KA convertible
- Toyota iQ
- VW Beetle convertible
Yorkshire Potholes
Drivers in Yorkshire breathe a sigh of relief as the County council acquires machines to fill in potholes.
The state-of-the-art equipment cleans, drys, and fills potholes in an all-in-one solution.
The two machines will work on North Yorkshire’s roads repairing potholes throughout the rest of this month.
These machines offer a quicker and more cost-effective solution to local authorities because of their one-stop system.
This means a shorter time for repairs resulting in less disruption for road users.
Comment
County Councilor Don Mackenzie commented:
“This is good news for residents of North Yorkshire, spray injection patching is a much quicker process of repairing potholes and the repairs tend to last a lot longer. We have also secured the services of this specialist equipment later in the year.”
Automated Driving
Campaigners call for driving tests to include information about automated driving systems.
A survey from IAM RoadSmart found 59% of drivers thought automated driving features could pose a risk if not used properly.
The charity is advocating for more education around automated driving as the government has green-lit the use of these systems on UK roads.
Experts predict 1 in 10 vehicles will be at least partially autonomous by 2030.
Comment
Neil Greig, director of policy and research at IAM RoadSmart, said:
“With Britain being the first to support the roll-out of autonomous vehicles on public roads, as well as the growth of the industry, it is surely only a matter of time before autonomous vehicles become a very common sight on Britain’s roads. This makes our call for more education all the more important, ensuring we all remainin the right lane and make Britain’s roads as safe as they can be.”
Climate Activists Go After SUVs
A group of climate activists known as the Tyre Extinguishers have been targeting SUVs in cities around the UK.
The group have let the tyres on SUVs down at night in affluent areas of London, Brighton, Bristol, Cambridge, Edinburgh, Liverpool and Sheffield. Notes left on the vehicles urge drivers to reconsider their “gas guzzler” vehicles.
Comment
A spokesperson for the group stated:
“Politely asking for climate action, clean air and safer streets have failed. It’s time for action.”
This comes after a report of a similar movement in Sweden, where activists have been targeting SUVs of wealthy Stockholm residents.
Legal experts say that the activists could be committing a criminal offence but prosecution is unlikely.
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Weekly News Roundup 11-03-22
