Nottingham City Transport (NCT) has achieved a four-star rating for the efficiency of its buses, as part of a new scheme which encourages businesses to run emission-cutting and cleaner vehicle fleets.
The ECO Stars scheme, which is free and voluntary to join, aims to tackle pollution on roads by offering advice and support to help fleet vehicles reduce fuel and general operational costs, and run more efficiently.
Gedling Borough Council has become the first council in the East Midlands to win funding to operate ECO Stars, and NCT was one of the first businesses to sign up to the scheme.
David Astill, NCT commercial manager, said: “Having invested £9m in the last year alone on 56 new, more efficient buses, NCT is proud to be recognised as having one of the lowest emission fleets in the UK.
“It is vitally important we continue our commitment to reducing our environmental impact, while still providing our passengers with the best possible service. Taking part in the ECO Stars scheme will help us towards achieving this in the Gedling area.”
Cllr Jenny Hollingsworth, portfolio holder for health and wellbeing at the Gedling Borough Council, said: “Pollution is becoming more of an issue wherever you are, but particularly on main routes where there is lots of standing traffic. I am delighted we are able to help local businesses to not only tackle this problem which affects us all, but also to support them to become more cost effective and efficient, which means less pollution for us and money saved for them, which in these economic times is very important.”
