Multi-million pound Ringway Jacobs fleet investment gears up

Ringway Jacobs’ multi-million investment in assembling the latest, safest, greenest fleet is continuing with nine new 12-tonne tipper trucks joining Essex Highways.

The new arrivals are part of a rolling £10 million-plus investment in fleet across both the Essex and Cheshire East Highways contractsover a 24-month period – a programme that has already seen the company notch up a series of industry firsts.

The arrival of the highway maintenance tipper vehicles follows that of ten new 100-percent electric vans with zero co2 emissions late last year. A further ten are due to arrive soon. These investments are as a result of the strategic partnership between Ringway Jacobs and Essex County Council.

A host of other new vehicles are also on the way as the investment – which began last year – is stepped up during 2023.

In the last six months, and in the coming months, additions to Ringway Jacob’s fleet have included, or will include:

Sixty small vans, three Incident Support Vehicles, two Solar Panelled Welfare Vehicles, five 3.5-tonne low-level traffic management vehicles, a 7.2-tonne traffic management vehicle, a White Lining vehicle, fifteen 18-tonne gritters, three 18-tonne quick change body gritters, ten 26 tonne gritters, six 5.5-tonne Electric Hoist MEWPS’s, a 3.5-tonne MEWP, ten 7.2-tonne highway maintenance tippers, nine 12-tonne highway maintenance tippers and four 18-tonne highway maintenance tippers.

Key to the procurement strategy is ensuring all new vehicles utilise the latest industry innovation in terms of safety features, efficiency and in contributing to Ringway Jacobs’ ambitious net zero vision.  

This forward-thinking approach to purchasing looks, not only at the latest innovation available, but also at what technology is emerging.

Consequently, Ringway Jacobs was the first UK highways company to deploy the Versalift Mobile Elevated Working Platform (MEWP (cherry pickers)) with a fully electric platform - and thereby greener - hoist. Working with vehicle safety experts Motormax and highway vehicle specialists Acklea the company also became the first in the UK to fit an array of safety features to new 7.2 tonne traffic management vehicles now on the road in Cheshire. All vehicles will in future have this ground-breaking system that includes 360-degree sensors.

Ringway Jacobs was also the first UK firm to deploy a new integrated safety solution from Peoplesafe and SureCam on its van fleet.

Ringway Jacobs Head of Fleet & Plant Dave Bonehill said: “This huge investment demonstrates our unwavering commitment to using the latest innovation to ensure our fleet is as green and as safe as it can be while at the same time offering best value for money for our clients.

“We are constantly reviewing the market to keep ahead of the latest innovations and technological advances. We don’t just want the best fleet and plant for now, we want our fleet and plant to be the best for years into the future.”