PETROL power is taking a back seat in Bury as council bosses road test alternative power. The local authority is trying out an electric vehicle to find out whether or not it could be suitable for everyday use. Currently the council's fleet of cars, vans and lorries are all either petrol or diesel-powered.

Now the aim is to discover if electric vehicles are not only green but also cost-effective.

Bury Metro's best value and competitiveness spokesperson, Cllr Linda Harwood, said: "In a perfect world, we would always opt for the green alternative but with financial and operational considerations we have got to take a long hard look at electrically powered vehicles and decide whether or not they are suitable for our purposes.

"I am sure that battery powered cars and vans do have a role to play and hopefully that is what this assessment will be able to tell us."

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