GREENER and safer bin lorries have taken to the streets of Stratford district.
A new 20-strong fleet of vehicles has been introduced by Biffa, which collects household rubbish on behalf of the district council.
The lorries, which have been provided at no extra cost to the council, are more economic to run, more environmentally-friendly and can each carry around 12 tonnes of material — ten per cent more than the ones they have replaced.
They also have advanced health and safety functions to ensure the security of the crews and are fitted with cameras and upgraded computer technology to allow real time information to be quickly exchanged.
As part of the overhaul, Biffa is also introducing some new street cleaning equipment including a mechanical pavement sweeper, a hot jet washer and a street barrow with suction unit.
The outgoing fleet of vehicles has covered more than three million kilometres during its seven year working life – emptying more than 31million bins, collecting 113,000 tonnes of refuse, 97,000 tonnes of recycling and 128,000 tonnes of garden waste along the way.
The council hope the new lorries will provide a smoother and more efficient service.
Technical services spokesman, Mike Brain said: “The new refuse collection vehicles are coming into service in Stratford district as part of a planned overhaul and upgrade of the current fleet.
“There is no cost to the district council but a wide range of benefits for residents.
“The new vehicles are more efficient and carry the very latest safety improvements, including cameras and traffic sensors. Greater reliability will also reduce the number of vehicle breakdowns, helping to cut down on missed bin collections.”
