[C]umbria County Council’s Transport team has received a runner up award in the ‘Smarter Travel’ category at the National Fleet Hero Awards 2017.
The Fleet Hero Awards recognise and celebrate sustainable fleet management; showcasing the achievements of public and private sector organisations that have reduced the energy consumption of their fleet and vehicle emissions in the process. The awards also recognise organisations driving uptake of low emission vehicles and effectively utilising charging infrastructure.
A number of council-operated transport schemes and initiatives were included as part of the award submission; including reducing travel on council business, operational road risk, improving efficiency, and reducing the council’s carbon footprint.
The main focus of the council’s submission was the pool car system introduced in 2014 – a designated pool car scheme for staff travel with 20 vehicles at 10 locations across the county, with an online and telephone booking system. To date, 845 members of council staff are enrolled in the pool car scheme, with the availability of pool cars intended to reduce travel in private vehicles, providing a reduction in fuel and Co2 emissions.
A further 15 vehicles; including five Renault Zoe electric cars have since been added to the council’s pool car fleet. Charging facilities for the electric cars are available in Carlisle and Penrith. The council has also funded the development of a further nine charging points around the county, which members of the public are also able to use.
Councillor Keith Little, Cumbria County Council’s Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, said: “I am delighted that the council’s transport team has received this award in recognition of their efforts to make staff travel more sustainable, more accessible and less harmful to the environment. Cumbria County Council is committed to its green agenda and this award shows the progress that has been made in just a few short years.”
