Snow update: Bin collections abandoned as winter weather bites
BINS went unemptied across Staffordshire today as snow which caused the closure of more than 140 schools led to further disruption.
Refuse teams in parts of Stoke-on-Trent had to abandon their collections, while rounds in the Staffordshire Moorlands and Stafford borough were also hit by the winter weather.
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At least 140 schools were shut today, and the snowfall made driving conditions treacherous for rush-hour commuters.
In the Potteries, bin collections in the Blurton, Smallthorne, Middelport, Stoke and Oakhill areas were left unfinished.
A city council spokesman said: “Conditions became severe over the course of Thursday, resulting in several crews being unable to complete their rounds due to safety reasons.
“Each driver will make their own decision as to whether to return, but collections in Blurton, Smallthorne, Middleport and the Stoke/Oakhill area were incomplete.
“Crews will attempt to pick up the remainder tomorrow and over the weekend, but if this is not possible, double collections will be made next week.
“Residents should leave their bins out for collection later. Kerbside recycling has also not taken place due to the driving conditions, but double collections will be made next week.”
In the Moorlands, district council officials suspended rubbish collections and recycling services on safety grounds.
A spokesman said: “Every effort will be made to catch up on missed collections on Friday and Saturday, when crews will work extra shifts.”
The spokesman added: “All other district council services are operating as normal”.
According to the Met Office, there is more bad weather to come. Sleet and light snow is forecast in the Stoke-on-Trent area this afternoon and evening. Further snow is expected overnight, with temperatures falling as low as -1C. Visibility will be poor.
19 Comments
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by lindsay -lou, Tean
Tuesday, January 05 2010, 9:28PM
“If the council spent some of our hard earned council tax gritting estates and small roads, the bin men wouldn.t have a problem collecting the waste! im sick of hearing "A "roads are priority,we have to get off hilly" B" roads to onto the A roads to get to work! Even the only grit bin on the estate is empty,to tight to come and fill it so some-one else could do the work WE pay THEM to do!-Boycott the council tax!”
by Justin, Tunstall
Friday, February 06 2009, 12:30PM
“POTBANK FRANK>>> The reason they could not come out in the afternoon is that binmen finish work at noon so it would have to be overtime!!! On top of their wages and danger money!!!”
by anon, staffs
Thursday, February 05 2009, 11:32PM
“Yes I remember having snow to my knees when I was a wee nipper but that was when my knees were only as high as my ankles are now... at the end of the day many motorists don't drive to the conditions of the roads so I don't blame people for staying in doors when the road conditions are like they currently in some places in staffs...”
by christopher, Devon
Thursday, February 05 2009, 10:12PM
“I moved out of stoke on trent 2 years ago as I was so annoyed with various aspects of how the city was run, from council tax to bin collections and moved to a small village in Devon of less than 100 people and a round trip of 20 miles to the nearest shop.
On Tuesday we had over 6 inches of snow ... by 10 o'clock the snow plough had been to the village, ploughed it and gritted it (and the pavement) and the bin collection took place at around 2pm.. along with the post...
But in Stoke a bin round is cancelled because the lorry could not do his round? and yet I live in a very rural part of Devon but have an A1 service.. (the plough man even waved at me!) not to mention our school was open even though there was 6 inches of snow on the playground.. the staff where out digging the path out at 7am!
Devon has more rural roads than Stoke has city roads.. and we coped just fine.. why? Not to mention the temprature here is usuallly 3 degrees higher than the north so Snow is VERY rare here but we seem better equiped to deal with it?
We pay less council tax than you.. have a better infrastructure.. nicer people.. our schools don't shut in an inch of snow and the quality of living is far higher.. At the enxt election... I would put your voices to the vote.. God knows you pay enough for it!!!”
by H, Burslem
Thursday, February 05 2009, 7:56PM
“I dread to think what would have happened if the Bin lorry tried to come down Hall St! Or even along Blake St... as it is one of our neighbours cars was damaged last time round by a car skidding! A Tranny van skidded this morning and almost hit a car. The main roads may be clear but roads like ours have a serious camber making access hard enough! i tired driving up Hall st yesterday ... I won't be driving again until its all clear as I slipped too much!”
by TheInformer, Sandyford
Thursday, February 05 2009, 6:51PM
“Well ive heard it all now!!
We have hardly had any snow, im only 29 and can remember having snow that came up to your knees it was that deep, yet the bins, schools, and colleges were open, although admittedly some buses had to stop as they were unable to get up Kidsgrove Bank.
We have on this occassion barely enough snow to make a decent snowman, yet everything has to stop.
I long to see furrys leaving the depth of snow they have in America where it also stays for 2-3 weeks, then we will see just how badly equipped this country is.
People keep banging on about "Global Warming" but it seems no one told the weather! It was only a few months ago, the government were telling us the days of snow were receeding and that we were unlikely to see it in the future...maybe that is why they are so pathetically equipped to deal with even the tiniest of flurries.”
by carl morries, manchester
Thursday, February 05 2009, 6:11PM
“snow what snow?
it has hardly snowed here
we had a little flurry this morning but it has all gone
plus the news reports should stop saying that all of the uk is affected by the snow
err no it is not!!!!!!!!”
by gem, n/c
Thursday, February 05 2009, 5:41PM
“Jilly... mine wasnt lol”
by jilly, stoke
Thursday, February 05 2009, 5:25PM
“Bins were emptied in Newcastle so why not Stoke?”
by a n other reader, middleport
Thursday, February 05 2009, 4:35PM
“I work in middleport and got here ok before 9 this morning, i've not noticed any 'severe' weather conditions, the roads are clear but the pavements are strewn with rubbish and wheelie bins. Hopefully it will snow overnight and cover up all the mess.”