Plastic fire engines go on duty

Fire engines made from recyclable plastic have been bought and stationed ready for service at Cheltenham, Stroud and Dursley.

The new eco-friendly engines are built from thermoplastic welded together to form the body, making it very strong.

Gloucestershire County Council's Fire and Rescue Service bought the vehicles following a trial with a prototype.

Three of the four new engines are fitted with catalytic converters and all run on biodiesel.

Chief Fire Officer and Group Director of Community Safety, Terry Standing, said: "We are delighted to pioneer these brand new vehicles as part of our contribution to making Gloucestershire greener and safer.

"These vehicles will add to our emergency fleet, helping us to respond effectively to emergencies, but at the same time reducing the impact we have on the environment."

The body of the new fire engines is made of a plastic material called co-polymer or thermoplastic Polyprene that has a very long life expectancy but is ultimately recyclable.

The vehicles have a minimum life expectancy of 10 years.