Prioritise safety around our collection crews

Posted on: 10 January 2025

Tewkesbury Borough Council alongside Ubico are today jointly launching a new awareness campaign as part of an ongoing commitment to safety, reminding drivers of the importance of safe driving practices, especially during the winter months when adverse weather and dark mornings can significantly reduce visibility.

The campaign calls on all drivers to exercise increased vigilance and patience around waste and recycling collection crews. Recent reports of dangerous driving behaviours, such as overtaking, stopping too close to collection vehicles, and mounting pavements, have raised safety concerns for both crew members and the public.

Cllr Sarah Hands, Lead Member for Environmental Services said: "The majority of drivers do exercise caution when passing Ubico vehicles. Our crews are equipped with high-visibility clothing, but we need the cooperation of all road users to ensure everyone's safety and I'd urge all drivers to slow down, be patient and prioritise safety to help ensure a safer environment for our hard working Ubico crews this winter."

Ubico encourages the public to report any instances of dangerous driving involving crews.

Rob Heath, Ubico Operations Director said: "While most drivers are considerate, the reports of dangerous driving are concerning. We urge everyone to be vigilant and patient to keep our crews and the public safe. If you witness dangerous behaviour and have recorded an incident, please submit the video evidence to Gloucestershire Constabulary."

Robert Vestey, from Gloucestershire Police's Criminal Justice Department, said: "We receive good dashcam evidence where drivers have put pedestrians, other road users and refuse collectors at risk of injury.

"We would encourage road users with dashcam to submit their footage to our Op Snap portal and we will take action where an offence is shown."

To report an incident online (not a collision) please use the Operation Snap link operationsnap.gloucestershire.police.uk.