Self-operating bin lorry to be trialled on Mansfield collections

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The new self-operating bin lorry will feature a bin lift

A self-operating bin lorry is be trialled on collections in Mansfield.

The smaller 3.5-tonne vehicle will make rounds to some residents’ homes as part of a planned district-wide roll-out.

One person can operate the vehicle, as it does not require a full crew, unlike a regular 26-tonne bin lorry.

The vehicle also requires ‘minimal staff training’ to operate, reports on the plan say. If successful, the vehicles will be used alongside the existing fleet lorries and focus on harder to reach streets.

The vehicle has a lift that can self-carry the bin’s contents into the back of the truck. This means workers do not need to lift the bins to get them to empty.

A driver can operate the vehicle without an HGV or driver CPC qualifications, which is the standard required for regular bin lorry drivers.

The smaller vehicle can also access communal areas, where bigger ones cannot reach, reducing the crew’s risks from handling rubbish and contact with “dangerous items”, documents say.

The trial of the new vehicles was discussed at the Mansfield District Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday, January 29.

Jez Bannister, the council’s waste and recycling manager said: “We can use the lorry on difficult access roads, we anticipate we can get 30 bins in one go.

“We want to make sure the crews are trying to get to all the bins, I don’t want there to be reasons to not collect bins.”

This comes after concerns a shortage of HGV drivers would “hamper the recruitment process”, for bin services, council documents say.

Mr Bannister said the council could adopt a four-day working week for bin drivers, but said there is a “health and safety issue”.

He added: “One thing that Ashfield Council is looking at refuse drivers doing a four-day working week, it’s something I’d like to look at as well.

“The challenge for me is health and safety on that.”

The number of missed bin collections remains at 0.1 per cent in Mansfield, which is within the performance target, documents say.

The new vehicles could also support other service areas such as small food collections and glass collections in areas bigger lorries could not access previously.

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