NEW electric vehicles are now being used by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service to reduce its carbon footprint.

The all-electric Nissan Leaf cars, liveried with the message Red Fire Engines, Green Values, underpin the service’s environmental credentials and replace existing petrol cars used by support staff to travel round stations and carry out home visits.

Multi-charge posts have been installed at nine fire stations ensuring a network of fleet charging points in each of the four unitary areas.

Cllr Tony Sherlock, Cheshire Fire Authority environmental champion, said: “We launched our environment and sustainability strategy in 2014 to ensure we achieve 40 per cent carbon reduction by 2020.

“We have been very fortunate to be included on the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) readiness project for the procurement of electric vehicles and the implementation of a charging infrastructure.

“With their help we have been able to reduce our carbon footprint and work towards being an increasingly environmentally friendly authority.”

Some 75 per cent of the value of the vehicles is being grant funded by OLEV with Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service paying the remainder over a two year period.

Charging posts have been similarly funded with a grant of £26,593 and the service contributing £6,648.25.