Nicholls Transport opens on-site LNG refuelling station

Nicholls Transport has opened its own Gasrec refuelling station for liquified natural gas (LNG) at its Kent base, which will be used to support an initial order for 10 IVECO Stralis NP 460 6x2 tractor units from local dealer Haynes Trucks.
 
The LNG refuelling station is the first of its kind in Kent and is perfectly situated for freight traffic bound for the continent, being less than five miles from Junction 5 of the M2 – with Nicholls making the site available to third parties by arrangement.
 
Paul Nicholls, Managing Director of Nicholls Transport, says: “Moving to alternative fuels has been high on our agenda – but gas is currently the only technology that’s ready for 44-tonne operation. Gasrec has been hugely proactive and gave us the confidence to switch fuels, following experiences with demonstrators organised through IVECO and Haynes.”

 
Commenting on the benefits of LNG, he adds: “Moving to natural gas shows how much we care about our planet. It’s our collective responsibility as an industry to do something to tackle climate change and make road transport more sustainable, and by opening this LNG station and investing in the Stralis NP fleet, we’re showing our customers and competitors that’s possible to do today. We very much hope other local businesses in North Kent share our vision for a sustainable future and buy in to LNG in the same way. As an industry, we really need to make this happen.”
 
Sascha Kaehne, IVECO’s UK & Ireland Business Director, says: “Nicholls saw the potential for natural gas and we were delighted to help them take this big step forward in sustainability. IVECO has delivered more than 35,000 natural gas-powered vehicles into service around the world, so we have a lot of confidence in this technology. For a business like Nicholls, LNG makes perfect sense.
 
“The location of their refuelling facility is also strategically very important, serving as a gateway for freight traffic between London and continental Europe,” he adds.