Veg van

Commuters in the Greater London suburb of Hackbridge, in the UK, can nowbuy locally grown fresh fruit and vegetables outside the train station, thanks to a scheme from environmental charity BioRegional.

The produce sold from the so-called Veg Van, a not-for-profit, renovated milk float, is all seasonal and locally grown, which the charity says will cut down on food miles, reduce carbon emissions and boost the local economy.

The Veg Van would make a huge difference to Hackbridge residents, it added, citing a local survey showing that 80 per cent of residents drove out of the town to buy food, with lack of fresh produce in the area a primary reason.

The charity has equally succeeded in persuading the council to donate seven and a half acres of land to the community farm, where volunteers grow beans, peas, carrots, tomatoes and lettuce, which are sold on the Veg Van.

The ultimate aim, according to BioRegional, is to make Hackbridge the UK's first sustainable suburb.