Following heavy snow and sub-zero overnight temperatures, Bedford Borough Council have suspended today’s (Monday) bin collections due to potentially treacherous driving conditions.
For the safety of Council staff and other road users, bin collections have been suspended on Monday 25 January and these bins will be collected tomorrow.
In a statement the Council said it would be working throughout the week to catch up.
“Please do place your bin out on your normal day – as out of the way of pedestrians as possible – and it will be collected either as normal or the day after.”
The Council issued advice to avoid all but necessary travel on Sunday night (24 January) as crews were gritting roads in the Borough throughout the weekend, and headed out again Monday morning.
Read: As temperatures plummet council issues ‘do not travel’ request to Bedford’s motorists
Less traffic means gritting ‘likely to be less effective’
Due to lower than usual levels of traffic, the council warned that gritting was likely to be less effective than normal.
“The salt does not directly melt the snow, it works by traffic mixing it in to create a salty solution which doesn’t freeze as quickly as water which reduces the build-up of snow,” said the Council statement.
“But with the heavy snowfall we have seen and the very cold temperatures overnight, there is a yellow warning of ice in place.
“Given the low levels of traffic currently using the roads due to the national lockdown, gritting is likely to be less effective than normal as there are far fewer vehicles around to ‘traffic in’ the salt by crushing and spreading it across the road surface.”
Cllr Charles Royden, Environment and Transport Portfolio Holder said: “With the conditions of roads after the heavy snowfall and freezing temperatures we have seen overnight, we have suspended bin collections today for the safety of our crews and other road users.
“Our gritting crews have been working really hard throughout winter and over this weekend, trying to keep our roads as safe as possible and have already been back out today to spread more salt.
“Please stay at home as much as possible, and if you have to go out- take care and drive very carefully.”
