Guildford Borough Council is planning a major overhaul of its vehicle fleet, with maintenance costs on its ageing vehicles significantly exceeding budget, a new report has revealed.
The council approved £10m for vehicle replacement as part of its 2026/27 capital programme, though a full fleet replacement is expected to cost around £24m by 2029.
A further £14m would need to be allocated by West Surrey Council to meet the shortfall.
The current fleet of 191 vehicles is largely beyond its normal operating life, causing breakdowns, poor availability of hire vehicles, and service disruption across waste collection, street cleansing, parks and community transport.
Under the proposed programme, at least 60 of the 161 vehicles due for replacement by 2028 could be electric, including vans, cars and minibuses.
Diesel will remain the preferred option for larger refuse collection vehicles in the near term, due to a £200,000 cost gap per vehicle compared with electric alternatives, alongside range and payload limitations.
The strategy will go before the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Executive this month, with procurement expected to begin once approved.
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Photo: © Sarah Agnew.
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