The ECO Stars scheme encourages operators of trucks, vans, buses and coaches to run their fleet more efficiently by helping them to reduce fuel consumption, improve efficiency and reduce emissions.
Glasgow City Council’s Land & Environmental Services will manage the scheme for the city. It will help Glasgow with its aim to reduce its carbon emissions by 20%. The launch also comes during Glasgow’s Green Year 2015 which marks the city’s huge strides towards a greener future. The scheme is free to join and is open to all operators of any fleet size who are based in, or regularly operate in, the Glasgow City Council area.
Councillor Alistair Watson, Glasgow City Council’s Executive Member for Land and Environmental Services, launched the Glasgow scheme at the Riverside Museum.
Councillor Watson said: “We are delighted to sign up to the very successful ECO Stars scheme and demonstrate Glasgow’s commitment to work with fleet operators to reduce emissions.
“Glasgow continues to grow its green credentials. We believe this scheme is a win-win situation for both the city and our fleet operators. The scheme helps fleet operators reduce their fuel costs and reduce their impact on the environment. At the same time, the scheme will help Glasgow City Council in our drive to reduce air pollution and reduce the city’s carbon emissions.
“We hope that fleet operators across Glasgow will join the scheme and help our Dear Green Place have a greener and cleaner future.”
The ECO Stars scheme was originally developed by the South Yorkshire local authorities in 2009. It recognises the efforts of fleet operators to improve their operational and environmental performance.
It does this by assessing both individual vehicles within a fleet and overall fleet management practices and then giving the fleet an overall rating of between one and five stars. Member businesses and transport operators receive a free operational efficiency review and road map to outline the measures they can practically take to reduce fuel consumption and save money on fleet operating costs.
At the launch event for Glasgow’s ECO Stars at the Riverside Museum the first fleet operators to sign up to the scheme were recognised. They included Asda, First Glasgow, JW Suckling, Newtown Waste Solutions and SEPA.
The Glasgow scheme will join more than 200 operators with over 14,000 vehicles located in cities across the UK and Europe including Nottingham, Falkirk, Mid Devon, Rotterdam in the Netherlands, Parma in Italy and South East Sweden.
Links
Glasgow City Council: ‘Glasgow joins UK and European Green Fleet Scheme‘
The scheme is free to sign up to. For more information call the ECO Stars Team on 01543 416416, or visit http://www.ecostars-uk.com/about-eco-stars/how-to-join/