This month marks the arrival of Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council’s (HBBC) brand-new fleet, provided by the council’s long-standing fleet partner Specialist Fleet Services Ltd (SFS).  

Seventeen bright green twenty-six tonne refuse collection vehicles have entered service alongside two new sweepers and three bulky waste trucks.

The remaining fleet, comprising 9 specialist food waste collection vehicles will be in place by February 2026 ready for the commencement of the council’s new household waste service launching next Spring. Residents will have separate collections for garden waste, recycling, general waste and food waste. The food waste will be used to generate green energy to power homes and businesses and reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.

In March this year HBBC signed an 8-year agreement with SFS involving the supply and maintenance of the council’s fleet and the management of its workshop facility. The contract, which marks the 20th anniversary of the partnership to date and takes it beyond to 2033, was awarded through the Halton Housing National Vehicle Contract Hire and Flexi-Hire Framework.

Caroline Roffey, Assistant Director, Street Scene Services: “SFS have proved to be a reliable and trustworthy supplier of fleet to HBBC, and we are delighted to be continuing our long and successful partnership. SFS brings a wealth of expertise and experience from across all their contracts, which is of enormous benefit when selecting and operating our fleet”

Bob Sweetland, Managing Director, SFS said: “We are proud to have been retained by Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council for over two decades, nearly three by the end of this contract term. We remain committed to investing in HBBC’s fleet operations to ensure the council can continue to deliver the highest standards of service to residents.” 

Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council’s Executive Member for Neighbourhood Services, Councillor Lynda Hodgkins:

"I am pleased to welcome this new contract with Specialist Fleet Services Ltd (SFS). This partnership will enhance our waste management services, providing efficient and reliable services to our residents. What’s more, the new food waste collection will help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and generate green energy, reflecting our commitment to sustainability and improving the quality of life for all our residents. We will now be running all of our HGV fleet on vegetable oil to reduce our vehicle carbon emissions by up to 90%”.

The council is running a *competition, which closes at midnight on 30 September giving residents the chance to name the council’s new food waste trucks. Nine winning names will be selected by a panel led by the Mayor of Hinckley and Bosworth and each one will feature on the front of one of the new trucks. 

Added Cllr Hodgkins: “If you haven’t already entered our competition to name one of the new food trucks then there’s still time, there have been some really imaginative entries so far and I look forward to seeing the new trucks out and about next year.”

SFS has been delivering fleet and workshop management solutions to local authorities for over thirty years. It operates its own specialist short term hire division, CTS Hire and has a network of 15 workshops across the UK (9 based at council depots), which it plans to continue expanding.

For more information about Specialist Fleet Services tel: 01604 234601 or email [email protected]

ENDS.