Police target savings with new electric cars

SOUTH Yorkshire Police has invested in a fleet of ten electric cars to save £25,000 on running costs.

The Vauxhall Amperas will be used for day-to-day police work but not emergencies or in pursuits.

Head of vehicle fleet management Sarah Gilding said: “What we need to evaluate is how cost effective they are and by how much they reduce our CO2 emissions, while maintaining our service to the public.

“Over the coming years, parts of our fleet will need to be replaced and it could be that vehicles such as this could form an important part of our day-to-day activities.

“The vehicles will offer significant whole-life savings and environmental benefits and we believe they can fulfil a key role in 21st century policing.”

Police and Crime Commissioner Alan Billings said: “I very much welcome this opportunity to reduce CO2 emissions while at the same time reducing costs.

“The ever increasing government cuts to funding are a continued threat to policing within South Yorkshire.

“This innovative approach to the vehicle fleet has given us a chance to make a genuine saving that can be used to ensure that front-line policing does not suffer at the hands of austerity.”