Greener transport grows at Rhyl school

Students at a Rhyl school will soon be getting a helping lift from a greener mode of transport.

A more climate friendly mode of transport will be taking to the road to help Ysgol Tir Morfa students reach their school.

Denbighshire County Council’s Fleet Services has secured with the help of Welsh Government Energy Service funding two Toyota Proace Verso electric vehicle (EV) people carrier which are replacing end of life fossil fuel powered similar vehicles.

Both vehicles have ranges up to 214 miles and will reduce maintenance and mileage costs moving forward for fleet.

The minibuses will be also easier to maintain than equivalent petrol or diesel powered vehicles due to less moving parts.

Moving to a more carbon friendly vehicle line up remains the Fleet Service commitment since Denbighshire County Council declared a Climate and Nature Emergency in 2019.

Currently the Council has one of the highest figures in Wales for the proportion of zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) as a percentage of their fleet, at over 20 percent.

The people carrier will be used to support Ysgol Tir Morfa on school transport runs, fitting in with the school’s efforts to tackle climate change which has already seen low carbon energy work take place at the site alongside tree planting by pupils with the Council’s Biodiversity team in the grounds.

And the second vehicle will be used to support social care transport for adults who work at Meifod Wood Products on Denbigh Colomendy Industrial Estate as part of Denbighshire’s work opportunities scheme.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “We are working very hard to reduce our fleet’s carbon footprint by replacing end of life fossil fuel vehicles when the opportunity arises with greener alternatives where it is appropriate for the service need.

“These vehicles help us reduce running costs over the long term through maintenance and miles and will continue to reduce our emissions to help us tackle the climate and nature emergency declared in 2019.

“It’s great that Ysgol Tir Morfa will have access to one of these vehicles as the students are so supportive of doing everything they can to tackle climate change and support their local nature at the school and surrounding community.  Having one supporting Meifod as well I hope will inspire the fantastic adults who work at the site to do their bit to tackle climate change.”