Wales & West Utilities Transport Manager Andrew Pettiford, Director of Operations Andrew Hopkins and Chief Executive Graham Edwards with Jeff Carne, Managing Director of Euro Commercials
Gas emergency and pipeline service Wales & West Utilities has invested in ten new tipper/grab lorries to drive its multi-million pound gas pipe investment programme, making sure that the company has the best equipment to deliver outstanding service to customers.
The company, which runs the gas network across Wales and the south west of England, has made the £1.3m investment in a 32-tonne tipper/grab and nine smaller 26-tonne vehicles, which will join their 30-strong lorry fleet. They will be used across all of the company’s business processes and mean holes can be dug and filled in quicker, minimising disruption to customers and the communities the company is working in.
The 32-tonne lorry is the largest tipper/grab vehicle the company has ever operated – and the safety of other road users and pedestrians is a key part of its design. All vehicles are fitted with the latest cyclist and pedestrian safety systems, allowing the driver to be aware of anyone in the vicinity of the lorry at all times. They are also fitted with a wire watch device that detects overhead cables, a reversing camera, on-board weighing systems and high visibility stroboscopic LED lights to alert other road users when they are working on the highway.
The ten Mercedes vehicles were supplied by Euro Commercials of Cardiff, while Thompsons UK in Blackburn provided the tipper bodies and TH Whites of Devizes completed the vehicles with the grab cranes.
Andrew Hopkins, Wales & West Utilities Director of Operations, said:
“We are delighted with the latest additions to our fleet. We want to deliver an outstanding level of service to our customers – and the safety of our colleagues and other road users is key.
“We invest wisely in our fleet so we can deliver our essential gas pipe investment programme as efficiently as possible while minimising the impact to the communities in which we are working – and these new vehicles will help us do that.”
Jeff Carne, Managing Director of Euro Commercials added:
“We are delighted to have been chosen by Wales & West Utilities to supply the 10 tipper/grab lorries. As a company, we are passionate about the products we sell and the service we offer our customers as we are driven to be the best. We are extremely excited to be partnering with Wales & West Utilities and feel sure that the Mercedes Benz Arocs is the ideal truck for the work they will perform”.
Wales & West Utilities, the gas emergency and pipeline service, takes pride in serving Wales and the south west of England. If anyone smells gas, thinks they have a gas leak, or suspects carbon monoxide poisoning, they should call us on 0800 111 999 and our engineers will be there to help, day or night.
The company also has a multi-million pound, 30-year gas pipe investment programme which began in 2002. Old metal pipes within 30 metres of buildings are being replaced with new long-lasting plastic pipes with a lifespan of more than 80 years, to make sure homes and businesses continue to receive a safe and reliable gas supply now and in the future.