LORRIES could be able to fill up with fuel made from food waste if plans for a dedicated service station alongside the M4 are developed. 

Plans for a 12 pump bio-gas vehicle fuelling station within the Wales 1 Business Park, in Magor, near Junction 23 A, have been submitted to Monmouthshire County Council. 

Applicant CNG Fuels hopes a station working 24 hours a day, seven days a week, can serve existing logistics and distribution businesses in the area as well as new firms on the business park and encourage more HGV operators to switch from diesel to what it calls “this greener and cleaner energy source”. 

According to information submitted by the firm “swapping existing vehicles to this new more environmentally friendly fuel source is a positive step in reducing emissions from the distribution and logistics sector and improving environmental conditions”. 

It states: “Vehicles that utilise the bio-compressed natural gas fuel source typically see a 90 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, up to a 75 per cent reduction in nitrogen oxide emissions, and a circa 50 per cent reduction in noise pollution, compared to traditional diesel-based power generation.” 

The business park is just south of the M4 and a one kilometer drive from Junction 23 A and it is planned to build it on scrub land just west of the Ty Magor hotel, and Monmouthshire County Council Offices. 

The station would be accessed from the current access road which would be strengthened and resurfaced. Vehicles coming to the site from the M4 would have to head south from junction 23A to the junction of the A4810 with Magor Road. 

CNG Fuels operates a network of bio-gas fuelling facilities across the UK and says the compressed natural gas used at its sites is sourced primarily from food waste, and it claims this provides “multiple benefits” over diesel in terms of emissions, noise pollution and cost. 

As the station’s primary purpose will be to serve HGVs connected to distribution and logistics firms operating locally the firm states the vehicles are “already utilising the local highway network”. 

It provided a pre-application highways technical advice note to the county council, which suggested alterations, but also said the council is “generally supportive of schemes that provide green energy and reduce the carbon footprint of the area. The principle of allowing a bio compressed Gas fuelling facility is acceptable.”  

It said the proposal “should deliver significant environmental benefits to the local area and help in the transition to a renewable and low carbon energy economy.” 

The council is currently considering what further information will be required as part of a full planning application and detailed information on transport, noise and the ecology as well as plans and technical drawings have been submitted to the council.