Recycling lorry blocking the way!...again....!!

Sun 20 Dec 2009, 14:41

I see what you mean. I did not have the chance yesterday to read your link but I have now read it and, it is true, WODC do both these methods----sorting at kerbside and comingling and sorting later by MURF. I will draw the attention of the WODC environment people to that link and see what they say. I always assumed that the way they collected depended on which vehicle they used (as the contractor has both kinds) but if one way is really much better than the other they should perhaps reconsider and only give the contract to a contractor who does roadside sorting ?.

Sun 20 Dec 2009, 14:04

No, I don't mean 'in a permanent way'. I mean as described by FoE in the link I gave. In other words, 'commingled' so that the separation process can only produce degraded waste (e.g very low grade paper) and a significant proportion has to go to landfill. There appear to be two ways of carrying out kerbside recycling, and WODC appear to have gone for the cheaper tender and the less effective or productive recycling. But I have no inside knowledge: I'm merely drawing people's attention to the FoE report, because it would seem to explain what we are seeing going on.

Sun 20 Dec 2009, 00:24

No, it's not comingled, or at least not in the permanent way you mean. It is true that some of the recycling lorries do 'comingle' i.e. not sort at the roadside (and this causes endless misunderstanding). It depends on what kind of lorry they have;if it is 'comingled'at th roadside, when it gets to the depot it is seperated by a smurf (or murf ??) which is a very high-tech machine, even able to distinguish one sort of plastic from another.
The other year there were so many urban myths and so many negative rumours about cycling (it all gets mixed up anyaway, what's the point as it all goes to China and ships come back empty----etc. etc.) that I asked one of the WODC people concerned with recycling to produce a paper giving us the facts. It was very interesting: it said how most of the recycled stuff from here doesn't go all that far away and it detailed where it went and what it was made into. It was so good that I asked the officer if I could put it in the Charlbury Chronicle---which I did, only slightly shortened. I can't remember which one but it's there.

Fri 18 Dec 2009, 20:31

Am I right in thinking that our recycled waste is all "commingled" -- i.e. all tipped/crushed in together, with smashed glass mixing with clothes, wet paper and cardboard? If so, read www.foe.co.uk/resource/briefings/recycling_collections.pdf for some idea of what is going on.

Fri 18 Dec 2009, 19:44

Perhaps they did not receive any TIPS this christmas!

Tue 15 Dec 2009, 17:16

True---I pursued this same comment the other year when someone noticed the same thing happening in Tanners Court. I was assured that the recycling was going to recycling and not to landfill. As I have said before, some lorries collect recycling on one side and rubbish on the other---which is confusing. But I have been assured time and time again that if recyclates go to the landfill they would be breaking their contract.

Tue 15 Dec 2009, 13:52

The same was happening on Dancers Hill early afternoon and asked the bin man about it. He confirmed what Caroline says - he was collecting the contents of several recycling boxes in already empty wheely bins so that these could be emptied into the lorry quicker. They were being efficient and saving time.

Tue 15 Dec 2009, 13:35

I think they do this sometimes to make it quicker to load the recyclables into the recycling lorry. I think it changes depending on the kind of lorry loading they have.

Tue 1 Dec 2009, 15:49

Just to add to the mix, the ORDINARY refuse lorry comes down Market St around 6am each Tuesday, also followed by a line of frustrated cars trying to get the 06.08 train...

Tue 1 Dec 2009, 14:02

Late last night I sent a strong (I hope) email to John Parkinson, Head of Street Scene at WODC, making three points: firstly backing up John D's point about the need to reroute the recycling lorry at certain times because of the trains, secondly asking if/why the collections couldn't be later anyway because of the noise problem and thirdly, asking that the Spendlove site problem should, once and for all, be sorted out.

Tue 1 Dec 2009, 12:26

I find myself in agreement with every word of Jon's post of yesterday. Regarding the noise issue, if it is illegal to sound a car horn without good reason in a built-up area before 7 am (which it is), how does this differ from a recycling lorry beeping away loudly and issuing that infuriating "Attention! This vehicle is reversing!" mantra every few seconds? I would suggest therefore that pre-7 am recycling collections may well be illegal, as well as antisocial.

Tue 1 Dec 2009, 10:08

Sorry Jon---post panto exhaustion was obviously making me feel prickly I suppose !! Also I misunderstood your phrase 'neither party cares' which I took to mean both the Tories and Liberals---but I see now that it must have meant the WODC officials and the contractors. I do think that in the environmental department at WODC there are some good guys but there are also things that should have been ironed out ages ago. Pax vobiscum !!

Tue 1 Dec 2009, 09:57

Glena -- I'm sorry you found anything remotely critical of you in my posting, either direct, indirect or by subtle innuendo. None was intended, and on re-reading what I wrote, none was there.

Tue 1 Dec 2009, 00:47

Let's see what happens to John D's request. I will gladly take the matter up if that fails. Jon, I do negotiate strongly and I DO care about the interests of the people of Charlbury---if you reread my first posting you can see that I did get them to stop collecting in the Ditchley Road before 6a.m. The early (6a.m.) start is apparently, common to all waste collections everywhere. Changing that would involve unions etc.---so I was told at the time.
The issue of the bad maintenance of the bring site at Spendlove is more serious, I think and, as I said, I have constantly been on that case (with a few exeptions like last week). I too am fed up that it keeps getting better but then slipping back and I have asked the head of environment to explain why they can't get the waste contactors to provide a better service.

Mon 30 Nov 2009, 22:54

I've asked WODC to look into the route and timings and they say they've passed my request on to their contractor.

This was a relatively easy exercise, using the WODC website. I invite others to do likewise!

Mon 30 Nov 2009, 19:12

The only road that (a) a recycling lorry can block and (b) is essential for reaching the station is the Thames Street/Dyers Hill route. If people keep using Park Street or Market Street rather than going via The Slade and Nine Acres EVEN THOUGH they know it will probably be blocked, well...

If the recycling lorry could avoid Dyers Hill till after 8.40, it looks as if all would be well.

As to the council staff being inflexible, who are they to be inflexible? The contractors have obviously got the upper hand here, the same (it would appear) as with the recycling area at the Spendlove (and it's probably the same contractors). The contractors tender for the job, so they should do the job properly. We're paying for it, after all. They shouldn't have tendered for the job if they couldn't do it, and the council should not have accepted a dud tender. But neither party cares, because the council tax payer pays up regardless.

Wrose still, it looks as if the contract isn't written in residents' interests (they wouldn't be allowed to start at 6am if that was the case, would they? If I went round town at 6am banging a tin drum or smashing bottles, there would be complaints, wouldn't there? The public health inspector would be after me in no time. But for some odd reason, if you call it recycling, it's OK.)

Tell 'em what to do, Glena!

Mon 30 Nov 2009, 14:43

A few years ago I asked WODC to get the waste collection to be a little later when they were collecting in Ditchly Road before 6a.m. (which they are not supposed to do) and waking someone's baby. After a series of exchanges they agreed. I did find them alarmingly inflexible though. However, if most people think it is a good idea I could have a go at getting them to reroute at the crucial time.

Sun 29 Nov 2009, 20:21

"then there is no logical reason why it can't go clockwise one week, counterclockwise the next"

Isn't there an easier option?

There's probably only one road here where a lorry between 0600 and 0830 is potentially catastrophic - and that's the narrow bit at the top of Dyers Hill. Cars can turn round on The Slade (or even, at a pinch, Crawborough), or avoid Park St by using The Slade. But there's no serious alternative to using the top of Dyers' Hill for most car- or bus-borne train passengers in the Charlbury Metropolis.

So can't we just ask WODC to avoid Dyers Hill until the 0825's gone? Every week.

Now there may be other roads (possibly Crawborough and Market St) that also need to be free of stopping lorries during the morning rush hour. So can't we - or rather the Town Council - agree which roads they are (and when), and simply give that brief to WODC?

They're usually terrifyingly punctual: I'd set my clock by them if the current crop of power cuts didn't make my alarm clock almost not worth setting. So they're clearly capable of being where they want when they want. It's up to us to agree where and when we'd like them to be

Sun 29 Nov 2009, 11:12

I agree with this course of action. Living in Headington in the late-1990s, I was constantly seranaded from sleep by the dulcet tones of smashing glass, clanking tins and pounding music as the recycling lorry made its way down my street very early in the morning. I wrote to the Council, asking them if they could vary the route so that I wasn't disturbed every week. It never happened again. Maybe this was pure coincidence but I like to think that people power (or at least pester power) had something to do with it.

If the recyling lorry follows a circular route, then there is no logical reason why it can't go clockwise one week, counterclockwise the next. This would mean it would only cause disruption in Charlbury 50% of the time. The change of route would also act as some small form of incentive for the recyling operatives, who have to perform what I imagine is a rather dull job and may welcome a change of scenery occasionally.

Fri 27 Nov 2009, 09:53

Speak to West Oxon refuse Dept & explain the problem & see if they can change the vehicle's routing?

Thu 26 Nov 2009, 23:52

It would be great if the lorry was always in the way. However it is a sporadic thing - and I cant see me diverting the Railbus every Tuesday morning, or maybe Wednesday if we have had a Bank Holiday!

Thu 26 Nov 2009, 19:48

Surely if you know there will be a problem getting to your place of work (especially if you know the problem) you'll make alternative arrangements, be it leaving earlier or re-routing etc.

Thu 26 Nov 2009, 17:04

No, I agree with John. I am local and the lorry always seems to get in the way of the Charlbury Taxibus on its way to the station, to catch the 7.26am train. So it stands to reason, everyone else would be held up. As its the main route to the station, why not leave until when there are no trains in the day - or between 8.40am and 10.05?

Thu 26 Nov 2009, 16:58

You must be local here John, therefore you must be aware that the waste collection is done on that day, Leave earlier!!!

Wed 25 Nov 2009, 20:39

Is it just me or does anyone else think it dashed inconvenient that the recycling collection holds traffic up for a crucial few minutes in Brown's Lane, Market Street or Dyers Hill (on many peoples' route to the station) for either the 7.25 or the 7.52 trains? Almost missed the 7.25 this week.