London council spends £1.8m on biodiesel minibuses

The council will buy 22 new biodiesel minibuses for £1.8m

A south-east London council has stuck by its plan to spend £1.8m on biodiesel minibuses.

A number of Greenwich councillors said they were “baffled” by the decision because the council wants to be “carbon neutral” by 2030.

The council will buy 22 new HVO/biodiesel minibuses to replace its current fleet, which council officers described as “beyond their economic working life”.

The decision was made last month and questioned at a meeting on 25 May.

Labour councillors Maisie Richards Cottell and Nick Williams said in documents that the move was “contradictory” to the council’s pledge made in 2021 to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2030.

They added that the vehicles would hold “negligible” resale or auction value by that time.

Council officers said in their report the plan was agreed in July 2020, before the net zero pledge was made.

Labour councillor Rachel Taggart-Ryan said at the meeting she was worried about the process of using biofuel.

She said: “The actual carbon impact of biofuel is much higher.

"I think in about 20 to 30 years we are going to realise what a big con it is... I think this is a bit of greenwash to be honest.”

HVO/biodiesel mixture is derived from plants and raw materials.

Council documents said buying electric vehicles would be “significantly more expensive” than biodiesel minibuses, with the cost estimated at being more than £3.4m.

Labour councillor Averil Lekau said the council needed to "work within our budget”.

The sub-committee agreed to continue with the plan to buy the vehicles.