Local authority-owned Norse began an eight-year waste and street cleansing contract with Rochford in Essex in July, taking over from the council’s previous environmental services contractor, Suez.
When announcing that Norse had won the deal, Rochford said the venture would involve “significant” investment in facilities and equipment for environmental services, including brand new vehicles.
The branded diesel RCVs, which together cost £2,142,640, are now out on Rochford’s streets collecting waste and recycling.
The council said the investment marks the start of a drive to become more “environmentally conscious” and acquire vehicles which help it become “zero emissions” by 2030.
A spokesperson for the council told letsrecycle.com the local authority had considered electric and hydrogen alternatives, but they were “not economically viable at this present time”.
Rochford’s portfolio holder for the environment, Cllr Dave Sperring, said: “The new state-of-the-art fleet will be a real asset to our waste collection services, helping us become a more green and efficient service for our residents. It is great to be in a partnership with a company that’s helping us achieve our goals.”
Fleet
Norse says fleet technology company Fleetclear has equipped the new RCVs with safety, monitoring and telemetry technology and software.
The vehicles have been fitted with RXLite Live DVR camera recording systems, Reverse Radar, the Cyclear cyclist safety warning system, the IDClear anti-roll away and theft prevention system, and LED Caution Worker boards.
Recorded footage and tracking and telemetry data is “consolidated” on the Fleetclear Connect web-based software platform, Norse says.
Frontline employees decided on the design of the vehicles, Norse says, which were wrapped by Avery Dennison specialist installers Creative Vehicle Wrapping.
Norse says it has allocated resources so its employees can support fleet maintenance and ensure vehicle welfare improvement and the fleet’s longevity.
Rochford
Representing an estimated population of more than 85,000, Rochford district council had a household waste recycling rate of 58.5% in the 2020/21 financial year.
Upon Norse taking over the waste and street cleansing contract, residents’ collections continued on the same timetable, with residual waste and recycling collected fortnightly and compostables weekly.
Rob Guy, Norse’s commercial director for environmental waste services, said: “I am delighted and proud to be part of this new joint venture with Rochford and I look forward to helping them shape their environmental services over the coming years.”
Norse is owned by Norfolk county council and provides services for a number of other local authorities across the country.
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