Date: 10 Dec 2021
Climate Action, Transport and Networks Committee of CCMA establishes Working Group
The Climate Action, Transport and Networks Committee of the City and County Management Association has established a working group to examine ways to assist and guide individual local authorities to realise emission reduction and energy efficiency targets for their fleets. The project is being supported by the CARO and the LGMA with SEAI providing the relative technical assistance and expertise. The working group aims to learn from other sectors as well as undertaking a national fleet survey and identifying potential pilot interventions. The Department of Transport and local authority practitioners are providing practical experience to assist with policy, management and operational factors that are likely to positively shape project outcomes that can be applied across the local authority sector.
Project Objectives:
- Establish baseline data on the size, age, composition and usage patterns of the LA fleet.
- Establish baseline data on fleet management systems, operational practices and workforce numbers.
- Source energy efficiency good practice examples and explore opportunities for shared learning across the LA sector.
- Estimate existing carbon emission levels from the fleet.
- Engage with four pilot local authorities to gather detailed information on current fleet management systems.
- Identify potential carbon emissions reduction interventions, e.g.
- Use of alternative fuels
- Use of alternative technologies
- Introduction of efficiencies
- Identify opportunities and barriers associated with potential interventions, e.g. capital costs, availability of refuelling infrastructure, IR considerations, etc.
- Estimate potential scale of carbon emission reductions achievable from the various interventions.
- Identify any external supports needed.
- Explore with the OGP the potential for national procurement strategies to encourage private sector suppliers to offer more low emissions vehicles options to the LA Sector.
- Estimate the impact of the expansion of LA services on carbon emission reduction ambitions.
- Identify opportunities for standardising fleet management approaches across the LA Sector (Consistency of data storage for reporting purposes, Fleet Manager role, work practices, set minimum operational standards, etc.)
- Consider a sectoral approach to compliance with the European Communities (Clean and Energy Efficient Road Transport Vehicles) (Amendment) Regulations 2021 (SI 381)
- Identify opportunities for private sector collaboration on a sectoral basis (vehicle suppliers, district heating by products, biofuel from biomass, etc.)