POSTIES in the Downend area are using golf buggy-style electric vehicles to help them get through their rounds faster.
Officially called micro electric vehicles (MEVs), a fleet of the buggies is now based at Royal Mail’s Fishponds Delivery Office in New Station Way, which covers the BS16 postcode area.
The Norwegian-built Paxster XL vehicles cost around £17,000 each.
Royal Mail says they reduce carbon emissions and increase delivery speeds.
They have replaced larger vans, which posties had to unload into hand carts or satchels several times per round.
Delivery staff have their own MEV to do a round instead of sharing a van, which Royal Mail says streamlines route planning and speeds up deliveries.
Unlike regular electric vans and cars, they can be plugged into a standard three-pin plug socket for charging.
More than 100 are now in operation across the country, although Royal Mail would not confirm how many are based at Fishponds, whether they are in use across the entire postcode area, which stretches from Fishponds to Pucklechurch, or whether it intends to buy more.
Delivery design manager Mark Riley said the MEVs are “a smart solution for delivering more sustainably and efficiently, especially in busy urban areas”.