Stratford District Council urges safety after waste lorry incident

Stratford-on-Avon District Council is appealing to drivers to drive safely around waste collection vehicles, following an incident involving a motorist driving dangerously last week.

All collection vehicles in Stratford District are fitted with 360^o video camera and have regularly recorded poor, dangerous and aggressive driving and all incidents are reported to the police.

The District Council has released footage of a car driving recklessly around a waste vehicle in a bid to promote safe behaviour. 

The film shows an impatient driver mounting the pavement to get around the refuse vehicle, instead of waiting - which not only puts the lives of refuse crews at risk, but also those of pedestrians.

As well as video recording, crews also wear high visibility shirts informing people that they are being recorded, in the hope drivers will heed the warning as they approach or navigate around collection vehicles and crews on their rounds. 

Cllr Ian Shenton, Climate Change Portfolio says: "We collect over 5 million bins a year and collection routes have been designed to minimise disruption to residents as much as possible. The vast majority of drivers recognise that collections only take a few moments, and it is unfair and even reckless for inconsiderate drivers to put crews and other road users in danger.

"This footage recorded from the cameras is shocking, as it shows a driver putting their own impatience above the safety of our refuse crews and other pedestrians and potentially putting lives at risk."

Drivers approaching collection vehicles are advised to slow down, stay back and look out for crew members - overtaking only if it is safe to do so.