Council apologises for bin collection backlog

A council has apologised after its workers struggled to catch up on overdue bin collections caused by the recent snow and ice.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council said waste and recycling crews were "working hard" to clear the backlog after they were hampered by bad weather during the week of 5 January.

While conditions had since improved, the authority said attempts to catch up were further impacted by "a number of vehicle breakdowns" and the "significant volumes of waste" crews had encountered.

The council confirmed its fly-tipping teams would help with collections and access to the city's incinerator would be "streamlined" to reduce waiting times.

"We apologise for the inconvenience and ask for your continued patience," a council spokesperson said in a post on Facebook.

"Please leave your bins at the kerbside as we are aiming to get to them as soon as we possibly can."

Staffordshire was hit hard by snow and ice as temperatures plummeted earlier this month.

Rail and road travel was disrupted while dozens of schools across the county were forced to close.

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