Waste backlog begins to ease
Council chiefs say they are making progress in clearing the backlog of rubbish which built up during this month’s cold snap.
Bath and North East Somerset Council and its recycling contractor May Gurney have both put on extra vehicles this week in a bid to catch up with collections thrown into chaos by the weather.
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snow binbags
The authority suspended all collections for three days at the height of the snow and ice, and was only able to complete partial rounds last week because it said conditions were too “atrocious” on some side roads and hills.
Refuse crews worked overtime at the weekend in some areas of the district while recycling teams operated into the evening last night.
The council had faced an angry backlash from people as the combination of bad weather and the Christmas and New Year break conspired to mean rubbish in some parts of the city went uncollected for as long as three weeks.
A council spokesman said: “Crews are working exceptionally hard to clear the backlog.
“Waste collection crews worked hard over the weekend to clear Friday’s uncollected waste and cleared a significant amount of refuse and recycling.”
The council has suggested that people might want to take their rubbish to its recycling centres in Bath, Keynsham and Midsomer Norton.
It has drafted in an extra six dustcarts while May Gurney has brought in five additional trucks.
The spokesman added: “Because of the different types of vehicles used for refuse and recycling collections and the varying vehicle capacity for materials, some households are experiencing their recycling being collected and not their refuse, and vice-versa. If this happens, please put your waste out as normal on your usual waste collection day.
“Because recycling takes longer for recycling crews to sort, some households might have this waste collected a day later than scheduled. Please leave recycling out on your scheduled day and, if not collected, the following day.”
But the council was taken to task by a former politician who signed the contract for recycling work on its predecessor authority, Bath City Council.
Labour veteran Lynn Harrington said recycling material from his home at Junction Road in Oldfield Park had not been collected for the last four Fridays.
Mr Harrington, who as deputy chairman of the city council’s environment committee signed the contract which kicked off municipal recycling in Bath, now works as a driver for the NHS.
He said it had been entirely safe for dustcarts on all but two of the days.
“I was going all over Wiltshire delivering drugs and blood. Someone’s made a ridiculous decision here.”
He added: “People are not going to carry on recycling if this happens.”
The authority says there is a distinction between cars and the heavier vehicles used for refuse and recycling collections, and that it was worried trucks would slide into other vehicles.
Information about waste services can be accessed on www.bathnes.gov.uk/wasteservices
361 Comments
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by Paul Wiltshire, Deputy editor
Monday, January 18 2010, 6:56AM
“This thread has now more than run its course and will be locked.”
by JC, Bath
Sunday, January 17 2010, 9:57PM
“Paul - I can but try!
BTW, I thought your Chinese takeaway comment was the best on this thread.”
by JC, Bath
Sunday, January 17 2010, 9:03PM
“Time to lock this thread and remove inappropriate/ offensive comments, particularly the inaccurate, unjustified and inappropriate attack on the impartiality of the Chronicle and its' staff.”
by Mike, Souther Wester than before
Sunday, January 17 2010, 5:58PM
“@JC: Thanks JC, I couldn't remember what symbol to type to indicate that I was being ironic :-)”
by Steve, Weston, Bath
Sunday, January 17 2010, 5:31PM
“Taken from the latest on the BANES website "Refuse crews will be operating on Saturday and Sunday 16th and 17th January to catch-up on an areas that were not collected on Friday". So - it takes two days to catch up on one missed day? What about those of us who were missed on Thursday - do we just go to the back of the queue yet again?”
by Dave, Larkhall
Sunday, January 17 2010, 5:31PM
“Nearly thirty years in a city you so obviously despise?
I don't think you can be too intelligent.”
by Mike, South West
Sunday, January 17 2010, 5:11PM
“Anil, normally I side with the underdog, but I *know* you are an intelligent man who happens to be in the south west through circumstances (and a good job). So, I was shocked to read this on thisislondon.co.uk signed "anil, south glos":
"I moved to the west country after marrying someone from there. Basically, certain parts are as expensive as London but with none of the benefits.
Public transport is non-existent. It takes about a day to travel 20km. Bus fares are around a fiver. You have to wait about 2 hours for a taxi. People are incredibly slow getting on and off buses and trains.
Society is the same wherever you are. I have the added pleasure of listening to racial abuse, hurled from passing cars, as I wait for buses in pretty, sleepy villages. Lack of cctv and part-time policing to a "oh arr, we be sorting out the tractor first..." model means this sort of crime continues unabated and is largely unrecognised."
This isn't you is it?”
by Anne Ville, Bath
Sunday, January 17 2010, 4:33PM
“"I am in London... where there is little or no snow... it was partly cleared by nature..."
What nature is that Anil?
Is that the nature of a capital city, a sprawling built environment constantly burning fossil fuels to maintain artificially ambient temperatures? It's only human 'efforts' that clear snow and ice from cities more rapidly than elsewhere.
It appears (yet again) that you're the one lacking any perspective. Why bother commenting if you haven't actually got a valid point?”
by anil, island gdns
Sunday, January 17 2010, 3:48PM
“"Anil: Your quantum leap from snow to Islamaphobia is as astonishing as it is inaccurate as it is offensive....
Is it? It's what papers from the Mail group do, isn't it? In my nearly 30 years in Bath, the Chron has never accurately reported on any multicultural event or news. The Evening standard at least employs staff from minority communities....so you can have an 'even-handed' debate without 'race card' accusations.
This thread has become dull, just as the city and probably needs locking. I agree with the council worker who says:"....It's only snow, get some perspective...."
To the "Go back to London" brigade - I alreadty/i> am in London for most of the time - where there is little or no snow now. It was partly cleared by nature; where it wasn't, some human effort was involved.
A sizeable number of London's residents now are from countries where heavy snow is normal. Guess they see it as part of life, not worth moaning about.”
by J, Bath
Saturday, January 16 2010, 11:28PM
“Why dont all you moaners give the council a chance, I'm sure they're doing their best this week end.”