Three new waste collection vehicles to be purchased by Harrogate council

The council will now move forward with buying the three 22-tonne, narrow chassis vehicles from manufacturer Dennis Eagle.

A report on the matter stated that Dennis Eagle are the only vehicle manufacturer that offer the 22-tonne vehicles required to complete collections in hard to access locations, such as narrow, terraced streets.

Harrogate Borough Council's cabinet voted in favour of the new trucks at a meeting earlier this month.

While the exact figure was kept exempt due to "commercial sensitivities", the funding for the three vehicles will come from the council's overall £1.63m vehicle purchases budget for 2019/20.

“We’ve got to collect the rubbish,” council leader Richard Cooper said of the purchase.

The waste collection service falls under parks and environmental portfolio, with cabinet member Coun Andy Paraskos stating the new vehicles will "continue to improve the service going forward”.

The three vehicles will replace older models nearing the end of their working life, according to the council's report.

"The council has used Dennis Eagle refuse vehicles for a number of years and are wholly satisfied with the safety, reliability and performance of the

refuse vehicles," the report concludes.

"Purchasing these three new 22 tonne narrow chassis refuse vehicles is essential for the service to replace similar vehicles that are reaching the end of their serviceable life and to continue to deliver a high quality service to residents and business alike."

Lachlan Leeming, Local Democracy Reporter