Our Commitment
In 1998, the Centre of Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment
calculated that particulate pollution reduced the average life expectancy
of those living in the UK by over 4 months.
The Eco Guardian vehicle, developed by Suckling Transport in 1998 reduces emissions of particulate matter by over 93% against a standard vehicle operating in the UK today.
The vehicle also reduced emissions of Hydrocarbons by 70%, Carbon Monoxide by 90%, Oxides of Nitrogen by 20% and Particulate matter by over 93%.
The Eco Guardian Project involved Suckling Transport operating two new Daf 75.290CF vehicles, with Thompson Heil tank trailers, delivering petrol, gas oil, derv and kerosene in the London area. One vehicle - the Eco Guardian - was enhanced to a greater degree of environmental acceptability, using the most modern technology available.
The Project won the praise of many organisations and earned Suckling Transport the IFW Freighting Industry Environmental Best Practice Award for 1999.
It is the policy of J.W. Suckling Transport Limited to develop maintain and operate its resources in an environmentally responsible manner. The Company and it's customers are committed to making a positive contribution towards the environment and wish to remain part of the solution and not part of the problem.
Background Eco Guardian Project
The objective of the original Eco Guardian Project, which ended in May 1999, was to conduct a comparative trial between two initially identical vehicles, one of which was enhanced to a greater degree of environmental acceptability. Emission tests conducted at Millbrook Proving Ground in November 1998 and May 1999 concluded that the project had been a remarkable success, and several organisations have endorsed this assessment. Suckling Transport received the Environmental Best Practice Award at the IFW Freighting Industry Awards last year, when the judges considered the Eco Guardian Project 'showed real commitment and set a benchmark for an industry sector where environmental best practice is still at a developing stage'.
The original project primarily tackled air pollution and significantly reduced emission levels of all the main air pollutants - Hydrocarbons, Carbon Monoxide, Oxides of Nitrogen, Particulate Matter, and Carbon Dioxide mainly through the fitment of an Eminox Continuously Regenerating Trap. In addition to the significant reduction in air pollution, the tests at Millbrook showed a 20% reduction in rolling resistance and an 11% coefficient of aerodynamic drag over the control vehicle.
At the end of the project, Suckling Transport completed a cost comparison exercise to determine the additional costs associated with the new environmentally friendly vehicle. This concluded that, due to reduced road fund licence costs obtained through the Reduced Pollution Certificate process, and a significant improvement in fuel consumption, the Eco Guardian vehicle was actually 2.2% cheaper to operate than the control vehicle.
The significant improvement in fuel consumption found by Millbook amounted to 10.4% when both vehicles were powered by ultra low sulphur diesel. In the first set of tests, when the control vehicle operated on standard diesel and the Eco Guardian vehicle on ULSD, the difference was less significant. The carbon balance method, as specified in European directive 93/116EC, was used to calculate fuel consumption. Millbrook commented: "We measured the dynamometer loads which showed the benefits of the lubricants and the tyres etc. When we ran the first set of tests this benefit seemed to be masked (partly due to the fuel specification). Now with the same fuel we can see the benefits of the other measures applied".
Environmental Objectives
- To make a positive and commercially realistic contribution to improving the environment in which it operates.
- To ensure that the threat of pollution in any form from its activities is identified, eliminated or tightly controlled.
- To minimise its consumption of Materials, fuel energy and water and to recycle as much as is economically feasible.
To eliminate or minimise any potentially harmful effects of its activities upon its employees or the public.
Environmental Guidelines
Guidelines covering vehicles, employees and property are issued to ensure compliance with the Environmental Policy and Objectives of the Company. In general these cover:
- Vehicle design, noise and routing;
- Employee training, medical provision, driving techniques and R.O.S.P.A.
- Safe Driving Scheme participation.
- Depot landscaping, pollution and housekeeping.
