Army receives new fleet of hybrid cars

A fleet of Vauxhall Vectras owned by the British Army has been replaced by the more eco-friendly Toyota Prius.

The vehicles, which use both petrol and an electric motor, were recently collected from a Bolton-based dealership.

Director of Infrastructure Brigadier Mark Armstrong said that vehicles belonging to the armed forces are changed over on a constant basis.

'When we change our vehicles we are looking for value for money but also having in mind those targets the Government has set us on sustainable operations,' he remarked.

Brigadier Armstrong added that HQ Land Forces was now ahead of schedule in terms of meeting green targets set by the government.

By 2011, all vehicles used by the army from 2007 must substantially reduce their emissions of carbon dioxide.

Next month sees the first ever Armed Forces Day taking place.

Held on June 27th, the event will commemorate members of the armed forces and will see celebrations organised in cities including Manchester, Plymouth, Nottingham and Edinburgh.