Waverley Borough Council's waste contractor, like many others around the country, is still dealing with challenges arising from COVID-19 absences and also continuing HGV driver shortages. The council is therefore warning residents to expect further bin delays over the coming weeks.
Waverley has fared better than most councils with all services being maintained, aside from a temporary suspension of garden waste at the height of the pandemic. Where residents have experienced delays, the council aims to collect bins within a day or so of their usual collection.
Councillor Steve Williams, Portfolio Holder for Environment and Sustainability, said:
“The pandemic is not yet over and the fact of the matter is that cases of COVID-19 have been on the rise again and our bin crews are being affected like many others around the country. Add to this, continuing issues with a lack of HGV drivers and it is clear why we are still facing difficulties.
“Our waste contractor Biffa has been working hard to mitigate the disruption, adding additional crews from other areas, often working out of their usual hours and with supervisors stepping in to support crews on their rounds. However, we do expect further delays over the coming weeks, and we would ask residents for their continued patience. I know that our bin crews, who have been working tirelessly to keep services going, have appreciated the many messages of support that residents have offered over this difficult time.
“We would also ask residents to please continue their efforts in reducing or reusing waste and composting as this helps both our bin crews and the environment."
Last year, The Road Haulage Association (RHA) estimated that the shortfall in HGV drivers stood at over 100,000 nationally, mainly due to a backlog in HGV driver testing due to COVID-19 and there has been little or no improvement since.
The council would like to remind residents that if their bin has not been collected, to please leave it out and Biffa will collect it as soon as possible. Any waste collection disruptions are updated on the council's website Waverley Borough Council | Bins and recycling.
Regular updates are also posted on our social media - NextDoor, Facebook: @WaverleyBC, Twitter: @WaverleyBC, Instagram: @waverley_bc.