Electric Cars Coming to Colchester

Colchester council to purchase electric or hybrid cars, vans and 4x4s as part of its plans to tackle the climate change.

10:48 19 November 2020

Colchester Council has confirmed plans to spend £726,000 to either buy or hire 21 new electric or hybrid vehicles as part of a scheme that aims to move to an entirely carbon-neutral fleet by 2030. The new vehicles will be used by neighbourhood wardens, the country park rangers, pest control and helpline services. 

 

Besides helping the council make the region greener, the plan will also help in generating savings in terms of fuel costs as well as in setting aside funding under the capital works programme to improve the Shrub End waste depot. 

 

Martin Goss, Colchester Council’s waste, environment and transportation boss, said: “It is an exciting project, but it is also comes with the condition it must be done properly.

 

“This is public money and we must make sure the technology we back is the right one.

 

“It is us backing the green agenda, but also being cautious making sure we spend wisely.”

 

He added: “We did not go out and procure new electric dust carts when we recently replaced them because the technology is not there and it would have been a poor use of public funds.

 

“In two to five years there could be huge improvements in the technology.

 

“Once the technology is more advanced and vehicles have better batteries, then absolutely we would invest in them.