St Albans City and District Council has worked hard to catch up on refuse and green waste collections following heavy snowfalls in the early part of January.

The waste collection service was put under severe pressure when treacherous weather conditions over a prolonged period left roads and pavements too icy to navigate safely by heavy waste collection vehicles and waste collection crews.

The conditions were so bad that the Council was forced to temporarily suspend the service for three working days until it was resumed on 11 January 2010. In the last week the waste collection team has been working hard to catch up and from this week (beginning Monday 18th January) the Council will once again be operating according to the normal waste collection schedule. Residents can find out which day their collection should take place at: http://www.recyclingforapremier.com/collection-calendar.

Andrew Robertson, Head of Environmental and Regulatory Services at the Council, said: “We are grateful to residents for their patience. There are a few roads and individual properties where catch-up collections are continuing to be made, and we are dealing with these on an individual basis. The team is now working to our usual collection timetable and we expect the whole District to be back to normal by Monday 25th January, assuming there is no further heavy snow fall.

“We have suspended our ‘no-excess’ waste policy for the next two weeks and will be collecting all refuse, including any excess sacks, until 1st February.”

Cllr Geoff Churchard, Portfolio Holder for Environmental and Sustainability at St Albans City and District Council, said: “The waste collection team with the help of extra crews has worked extremely hard by revisiting previously inaccessible roads and collecting excess waste in order to catch up with the collection schedule. Residents were kept informed on their progress through daily updates on the Council’s website. I am pleased to say that they are now back on track and operating to a normal schedule.

“This is the second time in recent months that the team has had to contend with the aftermath of a heavy snowfall. It also made a special effort to ensure that the service got back on track following snow prior to Christmas last year.

“I am pleased their hard work has been recognised by a number of residents who have contacted the Council to thank staff and show their support.

“The Council’s Refuse Working Party will be looking to see if more flexible working arrangements could be introduced during poor weather conditions in future and a report will be going to Cabinet in March”