Costain has completed a pilot project to test the use of electric vans (EVs) across major construction project sites across the UK. 

It is said to be one of the first pilot programmes of its kind in the construction sector within the country. 

Conducted in collaboration with Enterprise Flex E-Rent, the initiative explored the viability of EVs in various construction environments.  

The latest trial spanned three projects, namely the Preston Western Distributor Road scheme, the A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross project, and the A12 widening scheme. 

The £207m ($261.54m) Preston Western Distributor project includes the new 4km Edith Rigby Way dual carriageway. 

Meanwhile, the A30 Chiverton to Carland Cross project includes the demolition of the 164ft Tolgroggan bridge between Scorrier and Boxheater near Redruth.  

Costain dismantled the bridge last September.  

The pilot is part of Costain's broader Climate Change Action Plan, which aims for net-zero carbon operations by 2035 and a zero-emission company car fleet by 2030.  

Costain head of plant and fleet supply chain Mark Ashenden said: “Understanding and reducing the impact of vehicle emissions at our project sites will be key to us reaching our net-zero targets.   

“We wanted to test how electric vans could be deployed as part of an effective and more environmentally friendly working fleet and how they can be a viable vehicle option for major infrastructure projects.” 

Enterprise equipped the vans with technology to monitor usage and gather data used in the trial.  

To address the challenge of charging over long distances, Costain installed up to 25 EV charging points at the pilot sites.  

This month, the company was also selected by Transport for London to advance refurbishment projects at two junctions in London, UK.