A move towards a leaner and greener fleet of vehicles has resulted in savings of £700k for Falkirk Council over the last two years.

These savings were achieved by taking a number of steps to modernise its fleet. The Council is the first local authority in Scotland to improve their rating.  The upgrade from three stars to four is down to several factors, including:

•       reducing the fleet size by over 23 vehicles
•       replacing old vehicles with new, more efficient models including dual-use vehicles that double as gritters and gully motors
•       A tracking system that makes sure vehicles use the most appropriate routes.

Councillor Dr Craig R Martin, spokesperson for the Environment said: “The upgrade of our rating in the ECO Stars scheme is a sign of how serious we are about our environmental credentials.”

ECO Stars Scotland Manager Mark Cavers said: “Falkirk is the first council in Scotland to be awarded an upgrade and this demonstrates their commitment to reducing their vehicle emissions and improving local air quality.

“Achieving an upgrade from 3 to 4 stars is an excellent milestone for any organisation, but it is all the more impressive when you compare the number of vehicles that Falkirk Council has in the scheme – 369 – to the average number of vehicles per fleet in the Falkirk scheme, which is just 53.”

Read the full release here