New bin lorries could roll out in Calderdale as council set to splash out £3m

New bin lorries could be out and about on Calderdale’s roads from 2025, as part of the Council’s ongoing work to ensure reliable waste collections from people’s homes.

Calderdale Council is proposing to invest in 13 new ‘refuse collection vehicles’, as the current fleet is eight years old and there is a risk of breakdowns as the vehicles reach the end of their serviceable lives.

SUEZ carries out waste and recycling collections as part of its contract with the Council, which is due to end in 2026.

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The vehicles run by SUEZ since 2016 would need major, costly repairs and maintenance to be able to last until 2026. If they were being repaired, alternative vehicles would have to be hired to continue collections, which would also add extra costs.

Hiring vehicles, rather than buying new ones or repairing existing ones, is another option that the Council has considered. However, it would be a significant expense and is not viable in the long-term.

At their meeting on Monday 8 July 2024, Cabinet Members are being asked to recommend to Full Council that £3 million be added to the Capital Programme (funded by prudential borrowing over eight years) to allow the Council to buy 13 new waste collection vehicles to replace the old ones.

The new vehicles would be owned by the Council rather than SUEZ, which would be the starting point in a transition towards a fully Council-owned waste and recycling fleet.

Ian Day, Calderdale Council’s Director of Public Services, said: “We know how important reliable bin collections are to local people. We want to make sure we can continue to provide a good service without the risk of delays from old and broken bin lorries.

“Buying a new fleet is not a decision that will be taken lightly, as we are careful with any spending of public money. We have considered all the options, and having Council ownership of the vehicles would be the best value for money. It would also help to ensure reliable collections and would give us flexibility for how the service could be delivered in the future, once the current contract has ended.

“Newer vehicles would also be less harmful to the environment, positively benefiting air quality and people’s health.”

If approved by Cabinet, and then by Full Council, the new vehicles could start appearing on the roads from spring 2025.

Calderdale Council’s Cabinet meeting will be held on Monday, July, 8 at Halifax Town Hall from 4pm. The meeting can also be viewed online here.