Connaught Environmental, a division of Connaught plc, has just taken delivery of 17 specialist vehicles and ordered a further 24, worth over £2 million in total, from Hitachi Capital Commercial Vehicle Services.

The vehicles will be used to carry out work with local authority street cleaning depots in Wandsworth, Mendip, Norwich and the Isle of Wight.

Hitachi Capital will provide the funding and management for this new specialist fleet, which includes road sweepers, cage tippers of various sizes, 7.5-tonne refuse collection vehicles, gully emptiers to clean gutters and a timber recycler.

In addition, Hitachi Capital will manage a rigorous compliance schedule for the fleet so that all the vehicles are legal and drivers are safe at all times.

This includes the EU Operator Licence, safety inspections, MOTs and vehicle / specialist equipment servicing.

The fleet provider has also carried out a driver training programme, educating Connaught staff on their role in and the importance of compliance.