Hertfordshire Fire and Rescue Service is working on a project to turn its distinctive red fire engines ‘green’.

The service, which is part of the county council, is working with the London Fire Brigade to develop a ‘zero emission’ fire engine.

And that means that as well as having the capability to put out fires and save lives, the engine would be good for the environment too.

Cllr Ralph Sangster, the county council’s executive member for resources and performance, highlighted the ground-breaking project at a meeting of the county council on Tuesday (March 26).

However, he said the challenges of the project could mean it was a while before the new vehicle would hit the Hertfordshire roads.

“The county council is working with London Fire Brigade on their zero emission fire engine project, but it is unlikely that this will deliver a product before the end of the next decade,” he said, in a written response.

Cllr Sangster acknowledged that hybrid and electric technology was already available for lorry chassis.

But he said: “The challenge for a fire engine is not getting to the incident on electric power, but the four hours pumping whilst stationary that is the real challenge – especially when this might be in the middle of a field and not close to other sources of electrical energy.”

Cllr Sangster highlighted the project as part of a response to a written question from Liberal Democrat Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, who asked what the county council was doing to reduce carbon emissions from its lease or owned vehicles.