12.06.23 – County Council Introduce electric vehicles, House fire in Newcastle-under-Lyme
Written by Hitmix Local News on 11 June 2023
Nine new all-electric vehicles will be hitting the road in Staffordshire as part of the county council’s highways fleet.
The nine Renault Zoes are 100 per cent electric and will be used by highways officers to travel around the county making their inspections.
Because these cars do not use fossil fuels, it is estimated that the county council will save around 75 per cent in fuel costs. The cars are also 40 per cent cleaner than a vehicle that uses petrol or diesel.
Added to this, each car will save around two tonnes of CO2 a year—the equivalent weight of two great white sharks or two of Staffordshire’s carbon bubbles—directly contributing to the county council’s carbon net zero target.
The vehicles are the latest innovation in Staffordshire’s drive to become carbon net zero by 2050. Other highways initiatives have included using biofuel in the majority of the county council’s gritting fleet, and recycling road materials that would previously end up in landfill.
Photo captions:
- County Councillor David Williams with one of the new cars
- Staffordshire’s Carbon Bubble, which is currently on a roadshow around the county
- An infographic showing the savings
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A man has been arrested following a house fire in Newcastle-under-Lyme last week. Police were called to Albermarle Road just after 11.30am on Thursday following reports of a fire.
Fire crews from Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Service were also at the scene and found smoke coming from a bedroom inside. The fire had already been extinguished.
A man, in his 40s, was treated at the scene for smoke inhalation. The cause of the fire is being investigated and a 27-year-old man, from Newcastle-under-Lyme, was arrested on suspicion of arson.
Anyone with any information or footage from the area at the time are asked to get in touch with us through Live Chat on the Staffordshire Police website or by calling 101, quoting incident number 265 of 8 June.
To report anonymously, call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Tell them what you know, not who you are.
