CCTV cameras fitted on bin lorries

The cameras will provide officers with a live feed to monitor vehicles and, if necessary, footage can be used as evidence to support residents’ reports of damaged bins or for insurance claims.

Bosses at York Council said vehicles typically cost around £175,000 each and said the fleet will increase productivity, reduce the amount of fuel used by 
20 per cent and result in even more waste being diverted from landfill.

The current fleet has been in service for five years, the average lifespan for waste and recycling vehicles. The council says the current fleet has become costly to repair and is inefficient on fuel.

The waste vehicles are larger and can hold a much greater volume of waste – 16 tonnes instead of 10. Council chiefs say they have the “cleanest” large diesel engines on the market, meaning reduced emissions.

Recycling vehicles are also larger in capacity, holding eight tonnes of materials instead of 2.5 tonnes.

Coun David Levene, cabinet member for environmental services, said: “The new vehicles are designed so that we can now access the one per cent of households in remote parts of York – meaning an additional 750 collections could be made per week.”

The costs of the new technology will be spread through the vehicles’ five- to seven-year life span.