A DEVON council which was near the bottom of the league table for taking action towards net zero carbon emissions earlier this year is getting more electric vehicles.

Torridge District Council to is replace two diesel vans with Toyota electric models at the cost of £57,000.

The council’s community and resources committee thinks the extra £12,000 it will cost to choose electric vans is worth it.

Cllr Peter Hames (Green, Appledore) is glad to back the resolution. “This is what the council should be doing in terms of carbon emission reductions,” he said. “We had a few hiccups on other vehicles before so this is heartening.

“It will give the council a good profile, given the certain amount of adverse publicity about the progress it has made on carbon emissions.”

A Climate Emergency UK assessment of actions taken by district councils to reach net zero targets placed Torridge 149th out of 164 at the beginning of the year.

Torridge’s carbon footprint had more than doubled in three years, despite its target of reaching net zero by 2030. Council officers blamed a lack of funding.

Sustainability and climate change officer Donna Sibley said at the time it was difficult to hit environmental targets when the council had to “scrape together” funds.

Since then, the authority has secured more than £1-million from the government to decarbonise Holsworthy Leisure Centre, replacing an old boiler with air-to-water heat pumps, and heating the swimming pool using solar panels.

The council’s three leisure centres (including Torrington and Northam) are responsible for 55 per cent of C02 emissions from its estate, and Holsworthy, with the oldest system, is considered to have the greatest decarbonisation potential.

Waste and recycling vehicles are the highest users of carbon for local authorities and Torridge currently has one electric vehicle, but cost and suitability for the district’s hilly and remote terrain have so far meant more replacements have not been possible.

The first electric vehicles for Torridge’s estates department, which have been tested for suitability, are considered “significant”.

They will have a range of 200 miles and towing capacity of 1500kg which was deemed adequate. They have a battery life of 10 years and will be cheaper to maintain than diesel.

The existing Ford Transit vans were 14 and 15 years old, had surpassed their economic life and were unlikely to meet emission regulations at their next MOT, said officers. Replacement costs of £50,000 had been budgeted for.

Committee chairman Cllr Robert Hicks (Ind, Monkleigh and Putford) said the vehicles could be charged up cheaply using solar panels at Riverbank House, the council’s headquarters.

Cllr Lyndon Piper (Lid Dem, Holsworthy) said some sort of battery provision should also be considered to charge vehicles overnight.