Bin collections across the North West could be cancelled ‘beyond December’ thanks to driver shortages

A lack of drivers could see bin collections across the North West be cancelled ‘beyond December’, a worrying new report has suggested today.

According to Lancashire Live, a council spokesperson said the national shortage of Large Goods Vehicle Drivers (LGV) across the country is having a ‘major impact’ on their refuse collection services.

They added that the council is prioritising general refuse collection over some other services such as bulky waste collections and that these difficulties could continue up to and beyond December.

One affected resident Lesley Ham, who lives near Whitworth Rake in Rochdale, told the publication that her monthly recycling collections have all been cancelled due to the shortage, saying that Rossendale Borough Council simply informed her the service had been ‘suspended.’

Leo Reynolds / Flickr

She said: “I was advised on three separate occasions our bin collection has been suspended indefinitely.

“For our rural properties they only collect the recycling once a month and because of where we are with foxes and badgers, you can’t leave rubbish out.

“By Tuesday afternoon it had already been got at so the rubbish is just then strewn down the track. That’s why I rang and they said they had a driver shortage and then I was told it was suspended on Thursday. There must be some forward planning of the situation?”

Although the rubbish was eventually collected by a special collection last Friday after Lesley contacting the council, she added that she was still unsure about the future of the collections and was advised on three separate occasions her bin collection has been ‘suspended indefinitely.’

David Merrett / Flickr

A Rossendale Borough Council spokesperson said they were adapting collection rounds and reallocating staff where they can, and in some cases, were working at the weekends to collect missed bins, saying: “As has been reported nationally there is a shortage of Large Goods Vehicle Drivers across the country which is affecting deliveries to supermarkets, restaurants and other retail outlets.

“This shortage is also having a major impact on refuse collection services for us and many other councils, as qualified LGV drivers are also needed to drive refuse trucks.

“We are doing our best to empty all bins as scheduled by adapting collection rounds and reallocating staff where we can [and] where possible, we are also working at weekends to collect missed bins – but these difficulties are likely to continue up to and beyond December.”