Westminster’s cleaner and greener vehicles
The new fully electric waste collection vehicle has arrived in Westminster and is successfully completing rounds across the city.
The vehicle is not only helping reduce emissions and tackling air pollution but has also helped improve health and safety standards for collection staff and residents. The innovative camera system and live feed notifications have improved driver efficiencies and safety standards with the use of movement sensors which allow drivers to easily see if pedestrians or cyclists enter a blind spot.
The vehicle is part of an electrification project, which aims to mobilise a fully electric fleet in Westminster by 2022.
First all-electric depot
The dedicated team manages a fleet of electric vehicles including cage vehicles and buggies, mechanical sweepers and an electric refuse scooter, all of which are charged at the depot. The all-electric fleet and charging facilities will ensure that Westminster’s streets are kept clean whilst noise and pollution levels are kept to a minimum. We have also opened Westminster’s first fully electric street cleansing depot on Farm Street in Mayfair. The energy-efficient facility provides a modern workplace for the team of 44 cleansing operatives that work hard to keep Westminster’s streets clean.
The depot has also provided a more efficient operational hub by consolidating three smaller depots. The central location ensures that operatives only travel a short distance to complete cleansing activities and are able to work more efficiently as a team.
Deep cleaning on Regent Street
On 6 July, Regent Street was covered in 2,600ltr of oil, following a diesel spill from a tanker truck. Our street cleansing team was on the scene quickly and developed a solution to absorb and remove the oil. Over the 30 hour clean up operation, the team deployed several vehicles, including gritters and washers, and specialist staff to ensure the oil was safely removed and visitors could again enjoy the iconic retail destination.
Have you got areas outside your premises in Westminster that Commercial Waste Services could help you with? Our team not only helps clean up after incidents like an oil spill, but they can also help you to keep the hardstanding areas of your premises clean. This includes any privately-owned hard standing areas around your premises. These areas can tend to gather dirt and staining if not regularly looked after – which is where our deep cleansing service comes in.
Find out more about these services here.
Janitor Service supports safe reopening
In April we launched our first Janitor Service to help accommodate the reopening of businesses and alfresco dining in the West End. Where vehicle movements are restricted, to allow for alfresco dining, our Janitor Service is able to provide doorstep recycling and waste collections using an electric buggy and exclusive Janitor. The service has enabled Westminster City Council Commercial Waste customers to safely manage their waste while footfall increases in the City.
| Since the service launched, existing customers have benefited from the service as well as dozens of new customers who have signed up to the service – which has further helped reduce congestion with fewer vehicle movements on Westminster’s roads. |
Tackling fly tipping
An automated recording system has been trialled in the West End which enables staff to automatically report and record instances of illegal dumping. The new system not only speeds up the clearance of the dumped waste but also collates data and identifies trends and hotspot locations. We are now utilising this data and working with our enforcement teams to tackle illegal dumping at the root cause.
Fly-tipping is common and usually happens when people are trying to avoid paying for legitimate waste collection. However, some types of fly-tipping can occur unintentionally if people are unaware of waste regulations. How can you prevent this from happening? Read our article to find out.
Meet our Westminster team
Meet the dedicated team who help collect Westminster’s recycling and waste and keep the city clean and safe.
Eboubakar and Mariusz
Eboubakar Bamba and Mariusz Jargielo are just two of the operatives who make up the street cleansing team that help clean iconic London locations such as Leicester Square, Piccadilly Circus and Chinatown. Eboubakar joined us in March 2020, as the country entered the first national lockdown and has helped keep Westminster clean and safe as a key worker. Mariusz has been with us for 16 years and his long-standing service is a testament to the dedicated frontline staff who keep this city moving.
