Somerset Waste Partnership tests electric recycling trucks

The electric vans are being trialled in Somerset to see whether they would be a viable investment

Trials are being held in Somerset to test the viability of using electric recycling trucks for bin collections.

Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) and its recycling contractor Suez say they need to see whether the trucks are cost effective as well as being greener.

An electric truck costs about £400,000, double the cost of a diesel one.

SWP managing director Mickey Green said: "We know the technology isn't yet mature enough for us to have them all over Somerset."

"We're hoping that changes, but we want to work out where we can use them, how they work in practice, to help us understand the fuel saving," Mr Green added.

A week-long trial took place in February and another longer-term trial covering more of the county's market towns is planned in the spring.

SWP has said that some parts of the county, such as Exmoor, would not be suitable for electric vehicles due to the hilly terrain.

The trials is aimed at helping county and district councils in Somerset weigh up the business case for electric vehicles as they will need to replace some of their existing fleet in three years' time.

"If you've got whole fleet of electric vehicles, trying to charge them up overnight, the investment required and the lead time for the electricity companies to put in their infrastructure is very significant and that's all part of the learning," Mr Green said.

He added that reducing the amount of waste households produced would have more impact tackling climate change.