Quality standard

Quality statement 3: Reducing emissions from public sector vehicle fleets

Quality statement 3: Reducing emissions from public sector vehicle fleets

Quality statement

Public sector organisations reduce emissions from their vehicle fleets to address air pollution.

Rationale

The public sector fleet is substantial and includes various vehicle types, some of which are highly polluting. Reducing emissions from public sector vehicle fleets will help to reduce road-traffic-related air pollution. Public sector organisations can extend their impact by commissioning transport or fleet services from organisations that reduce emissions from their vehicle fleets to address air pollution. By publicising their approach, public sector organisations can encourage organisations in other sectors to take action to reduce emissions from their vehicle fleets.

Quality measures

The following measures can be used to assess the quality of care or service provision specified in the statement. They are examples of how the statement can be measured, and can be adapted and used flexibly.

Structure

a) Evidence that public sector organisations identify how they will reduce emissions from their vehicle fleets to address air pollution.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, a plan to reduce fleet emissions. Organisations could use the Greener NHS guidance on how to produce a Green Plan to develop a plan.

b) Evidence that public sector organisations require commissioned transport or fleet services to reduce emissions from their vehicle fleets to address air pollution.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example commissioning specifications. Commissioning specifications could require adherence to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs' Government Buying Standards for transport.

Outcome

a) Proportion of zero- or ultra-low-emission vehicles in public sector vehicle fleets.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example fleet statistics.

b) Overall fuel consumption for public sector vehicle fleets.

Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example fleet statistics.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers (such as local authorities, NHS trusts, police and fire and rescue services) develop a plan for how they will reduce emissions from their vehicle fleet to address air pollution and monitor the impact of the plan on vehicle type and total fleet CO2 emissions. Providers consider a range of approaches including:

  • replacing vehicles with zero- or ultra-low-emission vehicles over time

  • incentives to lease zero- or ultra-low-emission vehicles

  • training drivers to change their driving style

  • consolidating and sharing vehicles to ensure efficient use

  • action to minimise congestion caused by delivery schedules

  • specifying emission standards for private hire and other licensed vehicles.

Public sector fleet managers support the development and monitoring of a plan to reduce emissions from the vehicle fleet to address air pollution. Public sector fleet managers ensure that staff are aware of the plan and take action in line with the priorities identified.

Commissioners (such as local authorities, clinical commissioning groups, NHS England, and police and crime commissioners) ensure that commissioned transport or fleet services have a plan for how they will reduce emissions from their vehicle fleet to address air pollution and ensure providers monitor the impact of their plan on vehicle type and total fleet CO2 emissions.

People in the community know that public sector organisations are working to reduce pollution from their vehicles. This will help to reduce local air pollution and protect people from the effects on their health.

Source guidance

Air pollution: outdoor air quality and health. NICE guideline NG70 (2017), recommendations 1.4.1 to 1.4.3 and 1.4.6