Around 90 staff will transfer into council employment from April 1 when the contract with current collectors Biffa ends. They will use the new fleet of vehicles to collect recycling, food waste, garden waste, and household waste from residents.
Cllr Dave Ashmore, cabinet member for Environmental Services, paid a visit to the Dennis Eagle factory in Warwick to see the first of the new collection vehicles coming off the production line.
Cllr Ashmore said: ‘By bringing these services in-house and investing in 21 new vehicles, we are ensuring Portsmouth residents receive the excellent waste and recycling services they expect. The current fleet is over 12 years old and coming to the end of its working life. So, we have committed £4.7m to replacing all the vehicles to minimise potential breakdowns and disruption.
‘There won't be any changes to collection rounds, so residents shouldn't notice a change, aside from the new vehicles and staff wearing city council uniforms.’
Seventeen of the vehicles will be fitted with electric bin lifts. Typically, electric bin lifts lower fuel consumption by around 8 per cent, a major reduction on the environmental impact.
The new vehicles continue to use hydrotreated vegetable oil fuel, which produces low carbon emissions, in line with the council's target of making its operations 'net zero' by 2030.
Sign up here to receive our free weekly news bulletin and quarterly e-book.
