Lorry drivers get Fareham's garden waste collection service back on the road

HGV drivers Ross Prince and Filip Goncalves are helping Fareham Borough Council with household garden waste, allowing the service to be reintroduced.

The duo, from Boarhunt Garage and Recovery Services, were needed beacause the council’s social distancing requirements meant an extra vehicle and subsequent drivers had to be brought in.

It comes as many HGV drivers in Hampshire find themselves off work or self-isolating due to coronavirus.

The council’s executive members for Streetscene, Councillor Simon Martin, said: ‘We are very grateful to Boarhunt for making two of their drivers available to us so that we were able to reintroduce the garden waste collection service.

‘Finding experienced people with HGV driving certificates during lockdown, who are available for work at short notice, is not easy, but we have been able to use our connections with Boarhunt to make use of two of their drivers, ensuring the garden waste collection service can operate again.

‘I want to also pay tribute to residents who helped to share the information about the garden waste collection service and ensure that the first week after its reintroduction, last week, went well with the majority of people being aware of it.’

Boarhunt Garage and Recovery Services is being paid a day rate for each of the drivers who can be called on as and when needed.

One of the standard garden sacks will be collected per household and there is no facility to collect a backlog of waste.

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