Wychavon street cleaning disrupted by driver shortage

Waste collections are being prioritised due to the HGV driver shortage, the council said

Street cleaning and litter-picking services are being disrupted due to the national shortage of HGV drivers, a council said.

Wychavon District Council said it is having to make changes to make sure bin collections can continue.

Road and pavement sweeping will only be done in emergencies and an annual deep clean of town centres has been delayed.

The authority said it has made "difficult choices" and expected improvements by the end of September.

Roadside verges will only be cleared of rubbish when resources are available and the council's bulky waste collection has been suspended, it added.

The council said residents and businesses will still have their rubbish and recycling collected as normal.

Councillor Emma Stokes apologised to residents for not being able to maintain "the usual high standards of street cleanliness".

"Our priority is to protect the rubbish and recycling collections we all rely on," she added.

The council's contractor, waste management firm FCC Environment, said it has been working hard to fill driver vacancies and thanked residents for their patience.

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The UK has an estimated shortfall of 90,000 lorry drivers, a problem that has worsened after Brexit and Covid.

A number of councils across the country confirmed earlier in September they have been experiencing ongoing disruptions to their bin collection services.