Refuse trucks were back on Exeter’s main roads today (Wednesday, December 22) but some waste and recycling collections will now have to wait until after Christmas, the Exeter City Council has said.
After two days of being unable to operate, the Council’s refuse crews were able to make collections on most main routes in the city. However many side roads remain covered in compacted snow and ice and collections that were unable to be made will now take place on the next scheduled date. Information on collection dates over the Christmas and New Year period is available on Exeter City Council’s website and is in the winter edition of the Exeter Citizen.
Cllr Rob Hannaford, Lead Councillor for Environment and Leisure, said: “We would ask the public to be patient and bear with us during this difficult period. These have been exceptional weather conditions and safety – not only to our crews but to the public in general – has to be our priority. We have already had a number of casualties with our workforce slipping on icy surfaces, with one breaking an ankle and the other a finger. There are parts of Exeter that are still trecherous!”
Refuse vehicles will be back out again tomorrow (Thursday, December 23) and Christmas Eve but only on main routes and roads which are accessible.
“Next week, beginning on Wednesday, we will be throwing everything at the black bin collections and attempting to get as much done as the weather allows us,” added Cllr Hannaford.
“We will be putting on extra crews and concentrating mainly on the collections of household waste. In the meantime, if a collection has not been made, our advice is to take back the bin or bags and then put it out on your next scheduled colection date. Extra side waste will be accepted during this period but we would encourage people to recycle or compost as much as possible over the Christmas break to minimise the impact of collections after the holidays. Extra bags of recyclable items can also be presented for collection but we would ask people to label them ‘Recycling’ and put their property number on the bags.”
Away from refuse, council house tenants that had repairs suspended on Monday have now been contacted and the work rescheduled or completed. The Council has been prioritising elderly and vulnerable tenants and gas engineers have been dealing with dozens of boiler breakdowns so that tenants could have heat and hot water.
Car park staff have been clearing snow from city centre car parks and the ones open to the elements are being treated with grit. However, given the continuing sub-zero temperatures, customers are advised to exercise caution at all times.
The following city centre car parks are open for business:
Guildhall (apart from top two exposed decks)
Mary Arches (apart from top two exposed decks)
King William Street (multi-storey section)
Cathedral & Quay (apart from top two exposed decks)
Broadwalk
Harlequins
There will be no Sunday Market/Car Boot Sale on Boxing Day. The next one will be held on Sunday 2 January.
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