New waste and recycling fleet showcased at stadium

There are 15 new trucks for Crawley Borough Council’s waste and recycling rounds, each with a name suggested by children and the crews who operate them. It means Reggie the Red, first of the names to be confirmed in honour of the Crawley Town FC mascot, will be on the streets with 14 others picking up rubbish, garden waste and the REDtop recycling bins.

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They replace a fleet which had come to the end of their working lives after 10 years and will provide much more efficient and effective collections.

The names should be added to the cabs after the full list has been confirmed next month.

Their diesel engines can also burn hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), which typically produces 90 per cent lower carbon emissions. The council expects to fuel the fleet with HVO later this year as part of its commitment to reducing air pollution and reaching net zero carbon emissions.

Crawley Borough Council, Biffa and Crawley Town FC staff join councillors and Reggie the Red (Photo: Jon Rigby)

Cabinet member for Environment, Sustainability and Climate Change, Councillor Bob Noyce, said: “There is much for us to be positive about with our new fleet of bin collection lorries. They are better able to move around the streets, have the potential to drastically reduce their impact on the environment and they will have some fabulous names picked by schoolchildren and our crews from Biffa.”

The £3 million fleet has 25cm narrower chassis and a smaller footprint making them more manoeuvrable. Low-entry cabs in the 15 Dennis Eagles will help the crew get in and out more quickly.

Reggie the Red joined Crawley Town FC staff as well as Councillor Noyce and Leader of the Council, Councillor Michael Jones, when a couple of the trucks visited Broadfield Stadium this week so the mascot could see one of the lorries which will bear his name.

The new vehicles – 14 of 26 tonnes and one of 18 tonnes for the rural and narrow access collection round – were introduced to their new routes last month.