Drivers urged to watch out for bin collection crews

There has been an increase in near misses on the roads near bin collection crews, a council has said.

Chichester District Council said it had seen an increase in reports in 2024 and was urging those on the roads to take care when driving around collection crews.

Mark Chilton, the council's cabinet member for finance, corporate services and Chichester contract services, said: "These are incidents where something more serious, such as harm, injury or worse, could have happened but was fortunately avoided."

He explained that some incidents saw drivers mounting a pavement to get around the crew, while on one occasion a vehicle drove through a coned-off area.

The councillor said: "If it hadn't been for the quick actions and vigilance of our operatives on these occasions, then these near misses could have been extremely serious."

Crews already wear full high-vis clothing to improve their visibility to other drivers and collection vehicles are fitted with CCTV cameras to help with reporting incidents.

"Our collection crews are our very own waste warriors," Chilton said.

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