Watford Borough Council has invested in five new vans to collect litter from the town’s parks to ensure they remain as clean and green as possible while saving taxpayers money.
The caged vehicles replace older models that had reached the end of their l life. As well as collecting litter from bins, they will be used to transport lawnmowers, hedge-cutting equipment, fertiliser, bedding plants, tree branches and more.
The total number of vans in the fleet is now 10. Thanks to the council’s contractors, Veolia, bringing together the street cleaning and parks maintenance teams that had previously operated separately, the figure has been reduced from 12. The move forms part of a package of measures aimed at saving Watford taxpayers £730,000 a year in service costs.
Elected Mayor of Watford Dorothy Thornhill said: “Our rubbish collectors and park maintenance officers are unsung heroes. Their hard work this year has helped our parks win six Green Flag awards for their tip top condition. They deserve our respect for doing such an amazing job. Hopefully these new vehicles will make their work just that little bit easier, so that Watford remains the clean and green town that we all love.”
Matthew Crane, Senior Contract Manager for Veolia in Watford, said: “The parks we support are at the heart of the Watford community and we are proud to maintain them to such a high level. The new vehicles have been designed specifically for parks activities and have excellent storage capability. We think they will be a great addition to our existing fleet.”