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News and Comment October 2015

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2 October (Part 3) - Never ending bin problems

BinsI was a little premature with the report that my brown bin wasn’t emptied this morning. I always leave it in the same place with the handle facing the road on the assumption that is easiest for the collector who usually comes soon after eight o’clock.

Two hours later it was in a different place with the handle facing the other way. It looked as though someone had taken a look and thought better of it.

However at midday the bin was empty and lying with a fallen comrade. Where that came from I have no idea because the only other brown bin on the street nearby earlier was of the new variety and they aren’t due for collection until next week if service is to alternate with the green bins as Bexley council has said.

Residents are having to do an awful lot of date guessing during the transition period.

‘My’ brown bin was actually my immediate neighbour’s because the only gardening ever done at his address is done by me so I have no hesitation in borrowing it. The one that I had regarded as mine disappeared a month ago. I am beginning to think someone stole it and I shouldn’t have blamed Bexley council. In fact except that I have no food waste bin I don’t really have anything to complain about. The same does not seem to be true for everyone…


A complete shambles.

Yesterday our new kitchen waste bin was not emptied. Neither was my neighbour’s. She rang the council while I made a web report. At 5:15 a truck arrived to empty the neighbour’s bin but not mine.

“You are not on the list.” Fortunately I’d printed the web receipt and the men with more sense than their managers agreed to empty my bin too. They had clearly experienced the same before.

Whilst this was going on another neighbour asked if they were collecting brown bins. They said they were not as those bins were finished with. The neighbour said she meant the new larger bin and the confusion arose because she had two new bins, it wasn’t clear whether that was a mistake or not, but only one had been emptied.

When the new system is up and running will the collectors check who has paid or simply empty any bin put out? †

At 8:00 this morning another crew arrived to empty my bin!

When I explained what had happened the man said that it was all a complete mess. He kindly took my garden rubbish away (not due till next week) and put it in with all the kitchen/garden stuff which was mixed together. He also told me that the new fleet of lorries is a nightmare and that there is a problem with the reverse gear. Something about it only being on for a short time before it cuts out. He said it is a real problem when stuck in a tight spot without a fully working gearbox.


† Bexley council has said the new rubbish trucks are equipped with computers which tell the crew where to go.

 

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