𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

Campaigners have warned local authorities against “splashing” taxpayers’ money on the “latest green fad” after it was revealed councils in Wales spent nearly £12million in five years on electric bin lorries and charging infrastructure.

Cardiff City Council spent more than £5million on 12 electric trucks and over £740,000 on the charging technology. Denbighshire County more than £1million on two such trucks and the infrastructure needed to charge the vehicles.

The Taxpayers’ Alliance (TPA, which obtained the figures, is pushing for greater transparency on council spending on net zero projects, urging local authorities to “prioritise reliable core services and value for money over costly symbolic purchases”.

Of the 22 councils in Wales, seven did not provide a response and eight reported having no electric bin lorries. At least £11,936,435 has been spent on electric bin lorries and associated charging infrastructure, warranties and maintenance since 2021.

Jonathan Eida of the TPA said: “Welsh taxpayers will rightly ask why millions are being spent on electric bin lorries and charging stations. As families across Wales grapple with rising tax bills, councils are diverting precious resources away from frontline services and into costly eco-vanity projects. Local authorities need to focus on providing efficient and reliable services that reflect local priorities, not splashing cash on the latest green fad.”

A spokesman for Cardiff Council stressed there were no cuts to frontline services in the latest budget, adding: “These vehicles are part of the council’s wider vehicle acquisition and waste collection strategy, supporting reliable day‑to‑day collection services while reducing long‑term operating costs and exposure to volatile fuel prices.”

He argued that “moving council fleets away from diesel is also a prudent financial decision” because “reducing reliance on diesel helps protect public services from unpredictable fuel costs and strengthens the council’s ability to plan and deliver services affordably over the long term”.

A spokeswoman for Denbighshire County Council said it “declared a climate and nature emergency in 2019” and has “sin ” ce been adopting zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) into its fleet”.

She added: “Currently, more than 20% of its vehicles in its fleet are made up of ZEVs.”

A spokesperson for the Welsh Local Government Association said: “Councils need to replace these vehicles as part of day-to-day service delivery, and while electric models can cost more upfront, they are cheaper to run and maintain and are expected to last longer than diesel alternatives. With fuel prices remaining unpredictable, electric fleets also offer greater long-term cost stability.