£5m for new diesel waste collection freighters in Peterborough as electric options ‘not available’

However, the collection vehicles will run on diesel after the city council said electric options are “not available”.

The authority has declared a climate emergency and has pledged to become carbon neutral by 2030.

This includes a commitment for none of the authority’s vehicles to be run on diesel by this date.

Moreover, Peterborough has the long-standing ambition to be the UK’s Environment Capital.

The 24 refuse freighters are being purchased from Dennis Eagle for £5.1 million and will remain in use until June 2029.

They will be owned by the council and used by Aragon Direct Services to collect people’s rubbish.

Although they will be run on diesel, the local authority said they will have “the latest Euro rated engine helping to reduce emissions” and will also have electric lifts.

The current freighters are said to be “reaching the end of or have surpassed their economic life,” leading to “significantly increased” maintenance costs.

Sixteen of the new vehicles are ‘food podded’ vehicles which allow for weekly collections of food waste.

Explaining why it is investing in the new diesel vehicles, the council said: “Investigations into purchasing electric vehicles are ongoing and will be pursued in the future if economically viable and currently available.

“Due to the need to collect weekly food waste we require food podded vehicles, and at this time electric options for these vehicles are not available.”

It added that Dennis Eagle gave “the most economically advantageous quotes”.

The new freighters are part of a £15.65 million revamp which also includes new vans, minibuses and equipment such as mowers, as well as two new electric waste collection vehicles for the garden waste service.