Falkirk Council takes on Scotland's first all-electric tipper fleet

Falkirk Council is to become the first local authority in Scotland to operate a fleet of electric tipper trucks and the first in the UK to operate electric Luton vans.

Within the next week, eight electric Ford Transit Tippers and four electric Ford Luton vans will replace the existing diesel vehicles on the council’s fleet.

They will be used to support key services provided by its building maintenance and street cleansing teams.

Bryan Deakin, portfolio holder for climate change, said: “This switch to electric vehicles demonstrates our strong commitment to reducing emissions and creating healthier communities.

“We’re proud to be leading the way in sustainable local government operations.

“Our council was the first authority to order these innovative vehicles from Ford’s production line, which now sets a benchmark for others to follow.”

Falkirk Council now has more than 129 EVs on its fleet – around 18% of the total road-going vehicles operated by the council – and these include cars, small vans and large vans.

The building maintenance department, tasked with servicing around 17,000 council properties, will utilise the new electric vehicles for essential services, including emergency and non-emergency repairs.

The street cleansing teams will use the tippers for the cleaning of streets, pathways, and other public spaces, managing litter removal, fly-tipping clearance and servicing public litter bins.

The switch to electric tippers will offer cost savings, notably in reduced fuel expenses and lower maintenance costs compared to traditional diesel vehicles.