Transport for London (TfL) has begun a new six-week trial scheme to utilise electric construction vehicles in works at Redcliffe Gardens in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea.
The new trial scheme also includes the testing of mobile power sources for the recharging of the zero-emission vehicles, a first for the UK.
TfL, alongside FM Conway (FMC), has partnered with Volvo Construction Equipment (Volvo CE) and SMT to carry out the pilot programme, which has begun with the use of both an electric excavator and wheel loader at three junctions at Redcliffe Gardens.
The works are due to take place over an 11-week period, and aim to improve pedestrian safety through the installation of raised road sections to enable tighter traffic control, slowing flows and creating a more reliable crossing for those on-foot, as well as increase bus stop accessibility with an extension of the existing pavement.
Charging solutions for the vehicles has been provided by UK startup Charge Fairy, who monitor battery levels in real-time from a separate location before sending a charging van to the site to provide power to the vehicles. Typically, each vehicle is able to receive a full recharge in an hour.
Carl Eddleston, TfL's Director of Network Management and Resilience, said:The health of everybody in London is central to our work, and we are determined to meet our 2030 net zero targets. That's why I'm so pleased that we're continuing to take these important steps to reduce emissions and protect air quality.
The trial of electric construction vehicles at Redcliffe Gardens is such a vital part of achieving our goals, and our work with FM Conway, Volvo CE, and Charge Fairy shows how construction across our transport network can be environmentally conscious.
We are going to review the trial results and carry on exploring the best ways to decarbonise our network construction chain.
The introduction of the electric construction vehicles runs with the Mayor of London’s target for a net zero capital by 2030, with almost all concrete waste generated as part of the project due to be recycled by FMC.
