DISRUPTION to waste collection is expected to be alleviated later today as Reading Borough Council works to fix vehicle faults.
It comes after parts of Reading saw last-minute delays with waste collection due to electrical faults with a large number of collection vehicles.
In recent days, councillors took a precautionary decision to halt use of impacted electric vehicles, and fixes were made.
Vehicles from the Council’s spare diesel fleet have also been deployed to minimise the impact on services, and missed collections are expected to be made later today (Saturday, August 29).
The manufacturer of the Council’s electric waste vehicles is engaged in search of a solution to the ongoing issues for both immediate fixes and long-term solutions.
Reading introduced Berkshire’s first electric waste vehicle in 2021 and has since expanded its electric fleet to 13 vehicles, as part of its Council Carbon Plan 2020-25.
However, the Council recognises that while there are significant environmental benefits to an electric fleet, being an early adopter of the carbon conscious vehicles brings with it some issues with first generation technology.
Cllr Liz Terry, Leader of Reading Borough Council, said: “I understand residents’ discontent when there is a delay to waste services.
“While I support services to become more environmentally conscious, the repeated issues caused by the vehicles is unacceptable.
“The Council is working closely with the manufacturer to address the issues with the electric fleet to improve reliability and the effectiveness of our service first.
“I would like to thank residents for their patience and understanding while we resolve the issue.”
