A review of operational mileage data in North Yorkshire has demonstrated that by adopting a KaarbonTech created, structured gully cleansing programme, the council has achieved measurable decreases in vehicle use, fuel consumption, and carbon emissions.
North Yorkshire Council cut 10,785 kg of CO₂ emissions in the first year after adopting a KaarbonTech programme, the equivalent of approximately 22 transatlantic flights [1].
Before the introduction of KaarbonTech’s programme, the eight gully cleaning vehicles in operation across North Yorkshire drove a combined total of 233,250 miles to complete 125,689 cleans. This equates to an average of 1.86 miles per clean.
On 1 April 2024, the full KaarbonTech programme commenced across all districts. Over the first year, 104,221 gully cleans were carried out at a reduced rate of 1.77 miles per clean. This represents a 5% decrease in distance driven per clean (0.08 miles) compared to pre-programme operations, delivering environmental and financial savings.
In practical terms, this led to a reduction of 8,581 miles driven over the year across the full fleet. With an average fuel consumption rate of 0.47 litres per mile recorded, this equates to a fuel saving of 4,024 litres.
The environmental benefits of this reduction are clear. Each litre of diesel burned releases 2.68 kg of CO₂ [2], meaning that by reducing fuel use by 4,024 litres, 10,785kg less CO2 was burned over the year.
Given the average fuel price paid by the council during the year was 122.66 pence per litre (excl. VAT), this reduction in fuel consumption translated to a cost saving of £4,936, or approximately 5p per clean.
These figures demonstrate that structured gully maintenance not only improves operational efficiency but also contributes to significant reductions in cost and the fulfilment of environmental targets.
This programme also offers a clear takeaway for other authorities: when gully maintenance is planned around real asset data rather than fixed cycles, crews spend less time on the road, resources are used more efficiently, and carbon reductions follow naturally. The environmental impact seen in North Yorkshire is simply a reflection of getting the fundamentals right.
Sources:
[1] How your flight emits as much CO2 as many people do in a year (The Guardian, 2019)