— Iain Gowers 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🏳️🌈🧜♂️ (@disrember) May 11, 2021
A refuse truck which looks like a giant revolving Coke can on wheels is being trialled by Brighton and Hove City Council.
The striking red and white Rotopress truck was spotted in Rowan Avenue in Hove yesterday afternoon by Iain Gowers, who filmed the video above.
The Rotopress rotating drum continuously compacts the garbage, with paddles inside moving and squeezing it as it travels through the drum.
A council spokesperson said: “We are committed to having a carbon neutral vehicle fleet by 2030.
“We have already started replacing our vans, and have a number of electric vehicles.
“The vehicle pictured is a Rotapress truck that we’re trialling this week. It is shorter than the normal trucks, so may be easier to get around the city.
“It is one of a few new vehicles we will be trailing over the coming months.
“This particular example is not electric. But it is available in either electric or hydrogen / electric hybrid – which is what we’d go for if we were to purchase one.
“We are due to take delivery of one electric truck in August, with three more following after that.”
At last month’s environment, transport and sustainability, an update was given on Cityclean’s ten-year fleet strategy, which has started to be implemented.
An extra £1.5million has been allocated to buy electric trucks in 2012/22, with plans to replace three trucks with electric, and convert one from diesel to electric.
A new electric graffiti van has been purchased, and City Parks is also looking to introduce more electric and low carbon vehicles.
However, Cityclean’s new sweeper will be diesel, as the option of an electric one will not be available for a few years.
Let’s hope the new vehicles are not as prone to breaking down as the current ones.
Just to remind the anonymous council spokesperson (why not ETS chair Amy Heley?) that rather than just committing to having a carbon neutral vehicle fleet by 2030, they PROMISED to make the entire city carbon neutral by 2030.
Perhap the council could confirm what is actually in scope, how success will be measured, and what they are also requiring residents and businesses to do to fulfill their PROMISE, and who will be funding to this?
Or is “carbon neutrality” just blanket excuse for lots of Green Party activist projects to be implemented with predefined success criteria or validation of the cost effectiveness versus other alternatives?
Correction – the word NO is missing from my last paragraph:
Or is “carbon neutrality” just blanket excuse for lots of Green Party activist projects to be implemented with NO predefined success criteria or validation of the cost effectiveness versus other alternative? 🙁