1. Reduce the emissions of the brigade car fleet
A reduction of 10% of emissions in the brigade car fleet would save RBFRS 3 tonnes of carbon and around £1,200 in fuel costs (ex-VAT) plus lease/purchase cost savings.
There are substantial opportunities to reduce carbon at by encouraging the use of low emission brigade cars as an alternative the use of old and inefficient grey fleet vehicles.
The Service does have a relatively clean brigade car fleet at an average of 139.3g/km.
However, it is possible to go much further and replace these (when standard replacement cycles dictate) with cars below 120g/km or 100g/km with standard new models like the VW Polo (left), Vauxhall Corsa or Ford Fiesta as well as countless other low emission
alternatives available, many now below 100g/km. Some larger standard fleet cars like the VW Golf, Ford Focus and Vauxhall Astra (and many others) added sub 100g/km versions in 2010. We understand a well utilised small pool-type car can average around 35p per mile which costs much less than the up to 58.3p per mile rate that is common at RBFRS.
A pool car fleet requires a simple but robust booking system easily accessed by staff so it becomes first choice before private car use. More details on low emission models appear in Appendix F. Reducing emissions from switching grey fleet mileage into pool cars does not necessarily need expensive electric cars. Using commonly available and much cheaper conventional technology is available now and had a far bigger opportunity to reduce
vehicle emissions at the Service.
Carbon comparison between grey fleet, lease cars and potential brigade cars When we compare the CO2 profile of lease cars and pool cars with grey fleet, we see that this has a higher emission (often at much higher cost) option than the alternatives. This is true in the RBFRS fleets as evidenced from the data supplied in the table below which we have also compared with the current pool car average and potential conventional brigade cars at 100g/km and 1220g/km which are easily obtainable in the current market.
Car Type Average
The table on the previous page shows the potential to reduce carbon by substituting grey miles and shows it is higher emission than the lease and brigade cars. The current brigade cars emit on average 19% less CO2 than average grey fleet. With grey fleet average age of over 7 years old, the actual CO2 average is going to be higher than the 172.2g/km we could identify via DVLA. Comparing ‘best case’ grey fleet to a new 120g/km brigade ‘pool’
car would show a 30% carbon reduction and 42% if compared to 100g/km cars.
Substituting 10% of grey miles into the current brigade cars would save RBFRS around 2 tonnes of carbon each year. Moving it into 120g/km cars would save a minimum of 3 tonnes each year and into 100g/km cars, this saving grows to 4 tonnes each year.
RECOMMENDATION – Specify conventional low emission cars when the current brigade cars are replaced and substitute as much grey fleet mileage as practical.
2. Join the Motorvate accreditation scheme
From our contact with RBFRS, the organisation appears to take the environment seriously.
EST also operates Motorvate for the Department of Transport for organisations who value external accreditation of their environmental vehicle improvements.
Motorvate is a Government-backed environmental
certification scheme that is run by the Energy Saving Trust.
There are two levels of membership; the initial Affiliate membership of Motorvate is free and provides access to specialist advice, opportunities to network and share information and best practice with other members via a secure dedicated website and forum.
Affiliate members are asked to demonstrate via an agreed action plan that they are actively investigating and implementing strategies and policies consistent with an intention to reduce fleet carbon emissions. The recommendations in a Green Fleet Review often provide the content for many action plans.
The Green Fleet Review and Affiliate membership are just the start of the fleet carbon management journey. By continuing to record and monitor data, an accurate dataset from which environmental improvements can be produced. Once a full 12 month dataset has been recorded and a CO2 benchmark established a member can become a “Certified”
member.
Through a specialised certification process, Motorvate will help members monitor progress by independently auditing and verifying your carbon reduction achievements with success recognised as bronze, silver and gold membership levels, ultimately enhancing the
environmental credentials of an organisation.
In summary, Motorvate membership offers the following benefits:
• Consultancy support to help you to progress initiatives to reduce emissions.
• Secure access to the Motorvate website and on-line forum.
• Auditing and official recognition from EST for progress in carbon reduction.
• Support and advice including help to identify other members with similar challenges, data collection assistance and guidance on how to present the business case for environmental fleet management to key decision makers.
• Regular email updates to find out about relevant events, policy developments and what other members are doing to reduce carbon.
• Annual members’ networking event to recognise achievements in carbon reduction.
• EST endorsement and collaboration to support PR opportunities and enhance environmental reputation.
• Environmental management systems to support requirements such as ISO14001.