RAF spends £30,000 on e-scooters for greener future

THE RAF has spent £30,000 on e-scooters to replace a shuttle bus on a base in an effort to go green.

As part of Project Astra, an initiative which seeks to look at every part of what the RAF does with a view to making it better and more efficient, 90 of the devices were bought for personnel to use to travel around the sprawling RAF Marham air base.

The south side of the base has three main operating locations and is situated approximately three miles from the main domestic site which houses Marham’s administrative functions, medical facilities, logistics stores and all ranks accommodation.

The e-scooters will now replace the 52-seat minibus which currently performs a regular shuttle service between these sites.

A defence source said the RAF was committed to meeting the Government’s target of Net Zero by 2040. The source added that the scooters also “increase access to low carbon emission transport options”.

Last week, Air Chief Marshal Sir Mike Wigston said he was aware it sounded “crazy” that as head of the RAF he was so invested in the environment,when Defence was responsible for 50 per cent of central government emissions.

An RAF spokesman said: “As part of the RAF’S vision to create a greener and more efficient force of the future, e-scooters have been introduced at RAF Marham. This will reduce the need for large vehicles on the base.

“We remain committed to ensuring value for money for the taxpayer and this initiative seeks to reduce other transport costs at the base, including parking provision.”