BOROUGH NEWS Spring 2022
@eastleighbc
eastleigh.gov.uk
Borough and Parish Council elections 2022 Borough residents will go to the polls on Thursday 5 May to have their say on who represents them in the Borough and Parish Council elections. Plans are being put in place to help everyone stay COVID-safe while casting their vote. There are a number of ways to vote:
Cutting our vehicle emissions by up to 90% Council-owned diesel engines now running on low carbon fuel We’ve switched all our diesel lorries, vans and cars over to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel as we transition to net zero carbon emissions. The Council’s entire fleet of bin lorries, the vans operated by our StreetScene team, and even some mowers and other small vehicles, are now running on the fuel. The move is estimated to lower our vehicle carbon emissions by 90%, while also cutting air pollution. HVO is seen as a transitional fuel while we switch our vehicles to electric and other zero carbon equivalents by 2030. We’ve already invested in several electric vans and have three new electric bin lorries on order.
HVO is a biofuel that works in diesel engines. It’s considered to be a more sustainable alternative to fossil fuels and is created by processing waste vegetable oils and fats. As well as being low carbon, the fuel produces up to 25% less NOx emissions and up to 42% less particulate matter meaning a reduction in harmful air pollution. Cabinet Lead for the Environment, Cllr Rupert Kyrle, said: “Switching our vehicles over to HVO fuel will mean we are lowering air pollution
and producing less carbon, while we upgrade the vehicles themselves to more sustainable equivalents over the next eight years. It shows we are committed to cutting our own emissions to net zero by 2025 and moving towards a net zero Borough by 2030.” New HVO fuel tanks have been installed at our depot in Hedge End and will be topped up by vehicles which also run on HVO.
By post If you would like to vote by post, please apply now to ensure the postal vote can be issued as quickly as possible. It’s easy to apply and you must be registered to vote. At a polling station Safety methods will be in line with the government guidance. Measures such as hand sanitiser and face coverings (unless exempt), may be in place. For more information visit eastleigh.gov.uk/ informationforvoters
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Picture: Photo of Cllr Kyrle filling up a bin lorry with HVO fuel
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