Thanet District Council is first local authority in UK to invest in electric mowers

In a local authority first, Thanet District Council is introducing new electric lawn-mowers to its open spaces fleet. Run on lithium-ion batteries rather than diesel, these modern mowers are greener, quieter and cheaper to run. They will be used at Ramsgate Cemetery and Margate Crematorium and are all part of the council’s commitment to creating a clean and welcoming environment in Thanet.

The council has purchased six new mowers – 2 commercial ride-on mowers,  2 walk behind mowers and two commercial stand-on mowers to be used equally across the two sites.

Cllr Fairbrass, Deputy Leader of Thanet District Council said:

“Electric mowers, which last for 8 hours of constant work, are vastly preferable to diesel models because they generate no carbon monoxide emissions and are low noise. The mowers don’t just offer public health and environmental benefits, they also reduce risk to our staff. What’s more, they enjoy low running and maintenance costs which is part of the council’s ongoing efficiency drive.”

The key benefits include:

• Improved health and safety for staff:

  • significantly lower hand arm and whole body vibration levels than traditional diesel mowers

  • Significantly lower noise (far below the safe recommended DB rating for exposure to noise) which means no need for ear defenders

• All day mowing with horsepower exceeding most commercial diesel mowers

• Carbon neutral as zero emissions and exhaust fumes which emit carcinogenic fumes

• Lower operating costs -costing only 6p an hour to charge up overnight

• Low maintenance costs as no belts, filters, hydraulics, cables or engine

• Minimal background disruption for nearby homes, businesses and schools

• Quiet enough for use at crematoriums and cemeteries

The cost of operating these machines is around 0.45 pence per day. This contrasts with £6.65 per day for diesel so will help ensure we deliver value for money for taxpayers.