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Birmingham trials first eCollect

7/26/2022 3:00:00 PM
In a bid to combat climate change and air pollution, Birmingham City Council – the UK’s largest local authority – has taken its first eCollect on trial.

It will operate in the city’s Clean Air Zone for three weeks until August 12 collecting waste and recycling material from the city centre.

While doing so, it will produce no harmful nitrogen oxide gases or microparticles and no climate changing CO2. And it won’t incur a charge for entering the city’s Clean Air Zone which was introduced by the council in June 2021 with a strict ruling that its own vehicles would not be exempt from the charge.

The all-electric eCollect is much quieter than conventional vehicles and so will cause far less disturbance in the city centre where people not only live and work but also come to enjoy the city’s retail, entertainment and hospitality sectors.

 

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(Left) Robert James, Strategic Director – City Operations at Birmingham City and Council, Cllr Majid Mahmood – Cabinet Member for Environment (Right).

 

Cllr Majid Mahmood, Cabinet Member for Environment at Birmingham City Council, said: “Birmingham is making the bold transition to zero-emissions operations to help combat climate change and to create clean air for people who live, work or visit here. We know of the benefits that electric vehicles bring and we can now look more closely at how this vehicle performs and what it can deliver.”

 

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With the eCollect in Birmingham (L-R) – Robert James, Strategic Director – City Operations at Birmingham City Council, Cllr Majid Mahmood – Cabinet Member for Environment, staff from Montague Street waste depot, Phil Sidwell, Dennis Eagle and Darren Share, Assistant Director – Street Scene.

 

As well as the Clean Air Zone, the council declared a climate emergency in 2019 and aims to be carbon neutral by 2030 or as soon as it can reasonably make that transition.

Dennis Eagle Sales and Marketing Director Richard Taylor said: “We are delighted to be able to help our near-neighbours in Birmingham trial our all-electric vehicle.

“We already have a close working relationship with the council and have many other ties to the city too, including through our suppliers and staff who live there, so we’re keen to help them reach their zero-emissions goals.”