Shocking video shows bin crews’ lives being put at risk

Reckless drivers who are too impatient to wait just a few minutes could end up killing or seriously injuring a member of our bin collection crews.

That’s the warning from Canterbury City Council this week as it releases shocking footage captured from Serco vehicle cameras of a motorist mounting the pavement to get past a dustcart and almost hitting a binman.

Sarah Randall, Strategic Contracts and Commissions Manager at Canterbury City Council, said: “Quite frankly, if you happen to be briefly delayed by a collection crew as they go about their work, it’s tough.

“Our crews have the right to go about their work safely and all have friends, families and partners to go home to at the end of the working day.

“For the sake of shaving a couple of seconds off your journey, it simply can’t be worth risking potentially killing or seriously injuring someone and ending up in prison.

“Could you live with your conscience and look their loved one in the eye for the sake of a moment of impulsive idiocy?”

Serco vehicles are fitted with 360-degree cameras to capture images such as these. The footage of an incident, along with evidence statements, is sent to Kent Police to take action.

The council has joined 13 others from around the county and Kent Police to launch the Driving Recklessly On Pavements (DROPs) campaign to raise awareness of the dangers faced by crews and persuade drivers to remain patient.

David Currie, Head of Traffic Prosecutions for Kent Police said: “Rule 145 of the Highway Code states ‘you must not drive on or over a pavement, footpath or bridleway except to gain lawful access to property, or in the case of an emergency’.

“Therefore, it is unacceptable to drive on the pavement to pass a recycling and waste vehicle to save just a few seconds off your journey.

“People need to think about the consequences of their actions – if they choose to drive on the pavement they not only risk prosecution but more importantly they put themselves and others at risk of serious injury or worse.”

When passing around recycling and waste vehicles, drivers should:

• Slow down, stay back and look out for crews working or crossing the road

• Be patient and stay behind the dustcart vehicle until there is a safe moment to overtake

• Remember when you encounter a recycling and waste vehicle on your travels and plan to allow extra time for your journey on those days

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