Middlesbrough Council has begun testing an all-electric street cleaning machine that combines litter collection with a water jet for tackling dirt and stains on pavements and public spaces.
The Glutton H₂O Perfect is being trialled in the town centre and key shopping areas over the coming months. The council says it will assess how well the machine performs before deciding whether to invest in more units.
One machine, two cleaning jobs
The self-propelled machine uses vacuum technology to collect litter while an integrated medium-pressure water system can be used on more stubborn grime. According to the council, it carries a 240-litre waste container, a 60-litre water tank and a dust filtration system.
Because the machine is electric, it operates with no tailpipe . It is also designed to reduce the amount of physical effort required from cleaning staff compared with some traditional equipment, although the real test will be how it copes with the varied surfaces, litter and weather conditions found across a busy town centre.
The machine has been supplied by Bradshaw EV, the UK distributor for the Belgian-manufactured Glutton range. Middlesbrough’s trial will look at whether the technology offers a practical improvement rather than treating the purchase as a done deal.
A small trial with a visible job to do
Street cleanliness is one of those local services people tend to notice most when it is not working. A new machine will not solve every problem on its own, but testing equipment that can collect litter and wash surfaces in the same pass could help the council understand whether newer electric technology can make day-to-day maintenance more efficient.
Community Caretaker Adam Ineson has been putting the machine through its paces in Centre Square. Middlesbrough Mayor Chris Cooke described it as a modern version of the traditional “bin and broom” approach and said the aim was to make the town centre cleaner and more attractive to visitors.
The interesting part comes next. The council has not committed to a wider rollout, so the coming months should provide a clearer picture of whether the Glutton delivers enough practical benefit to justify further investment. If it does, the trial could become one small piece of a broader shift towards quieter, lower-emission equipment in public services.