Safeway fleet expects 16001k clean fuel grant
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• Supermarket giant Safeway is expected to win a grant of more than 1600,000 later this month to expand its fleet of "clean-fuel" vehicles.
The grant will come from Powershift, the governmentbacked initiative to promote clean-fuel vehicles which was given a 300% increase in funding this year to Aim.
Safeway's application was delayed because there is a discretionary ceiling of 1250,000 for each award to prevent too much of Powershift's funds being taken by one company. But Safeway's application is expected to go through because it will help develop the market for alternative fuels.
A spokeswoman for Safeway says it has successfully run 11 compressed natural gas (CNG)-powered trucks for the past two years. The grant will allow this figure to increase to 51, accounting for nearly 8% of the company's fleet.
"We have a big problem with night curfews where deliveries to stores are prohibited," she adds. "CNG-powered vehicles are very, very quiet which means that curfews would be lifted in many areas."
She adds that the company has one natural gas compressor at its depot in Welwyn Garden City, but installing compressors at some of its other 17 depots will Cost millions of pounds.