Council goes for gas
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• A local council has halved the fuel costs on 14 of its vehicles by converting them to run on compressed natural gas as well as petrol.
Blackburn Borough Council put vehicles from car-derived vans to 3.5-tonners through the £1,000 conversion, which was engineered by Blackburn-based Enercol.
Now the council is considering converting its 136-strong fleet of diesels, but diesel conversions cost substantially more and, unlike petrol conversions, a reserve fuel tank with a switch-over mechanism cannot be installed.
The council believes the fuel savings could win it more competitive tendering business. It also says the environment will benefit, because natural gas is one of the cleanest-burning fuels, with particulates and soot being elimated. Most other emissions are greatly reduced.