MANY bin collections in parts of Bristol have been missed as crews get to grips with a new timetable.
Councillors have received many complaints, among them repeated misses in Stoke Lane, Abbey Road and Henleaze.
Henleaze and Westbury Councillor Geoff Gollop told the Voice: “The waste company reorganised some routes but underestimated the challenge. Drivers and crew getting used to new routes meant collection took longer and overflowed into the next day, leaving lack of capacity to cope with end-of-week collections.”
He said bosses at Bristol Waste were aware of the issues and were working to resolve them.
Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees told councillors at a members’ forum on January 9 that he would be meeting Bristol Waste, a company owned by the council, to put forward concerns from across the city.
He said the company recently changed collection days for some homes.
“There will be a period of adjustment when there’s a rebalancing and a rerouting happening. It’s the first time it’s been done since 2011/12. I’m sure Bristol Waste will make the appropriate adjustments.
“I spoke to the head of Bristol Waste and told him councillors were raising concerns. I asked him if he would meet councillors from across the city to hear first-hand what is happening.”
He asked councillors to email issues in advance of the meeting.
Conservative Councillor John Goulandris, representing Stoke Bishop, said: “Along with other parts of Bristol, the collection of recycling has been repeatedly late in areas of my ward with Thursday collections not taking place until Saturday afternoon.
“Most of my residents are patient and leave the recycling out. However, it does look messy and after a couple of days delay some residents take the recycling back and place it in their black bin.”
Green Councillor Martin Fodor, representing Redland, added: “Whole streets are sometimes missed — week after week or several weeks running — for reasons that the council itself should address. The council isn’t delivering what it promises and our contractor can’t do their job. Vehicles aren’t able to access the road due to chaotic parking.”
He said he and fellow ward councillor Fi Hance had been promised action after raising similar concerns two years ago but still there was not a joined-up approach involving Bristol Waste, highways officers, legal services, and parking services working together.
Includes reporting from Alex Seabrook, Local Democracy Reporting Service