More tip vehicles drivers

Press, 28 November 1984, Page 9

More tip vehicles drivers

The Christchurch Metropolitan Refuse Disposal Committee has agreed to buy more vehicles and employ another two drivers in an attempt to solve overloading problems at the two refuse transfer stations. The project engineer, Mr A. C. Vogan, yesterday told the committee that the transfer stations in Ruru Road, Bromley, and Parkhouse Road, Sockburn, were taking 40 per cent more refuse than originally expected. Their combined throughput in October was 14,539 tonnes, compared with 8,517 tonnes at the Parkhouse Road station in August, a month before the Ruru Road station was opened. As a result staff were working long hours and refuse was often left on the floor of both stations overnight. He read out the time sheet of one driver who had worked a 78% week and said this was typical Mr Vogan said |aat the

increase in refuse could be attributed to a number of factors — an under estimation of the conversion of quantity to weight made in surveys, an upturn in the amount of refuse generated, and a move from private tips. He said he believed the closing of the Bexley tip and particularly the private McTeigues Road tip had drastically altered the situation. The Ruru Road station which was already taking 50 per cent more than its designed loading, had only slightly relieved traffic at Parkhouse Road, he said. Sir Vogan said that although the proposed northern transfer station would not reduce the quantity of refuse, it would balance the loadings to the levels the stations were designed to cope with. The committee will make a decision on a third transfer station at its meeting next month.

To get the stations back to regular working hours a total of eight prime movers and eight transfer trailers were needed, he said. Five prime movers and trailers were already being used and another prime mover and trailer had been ordered. The committee approved the purchase of another two vehicles and also approved the employment of two more drivers. This would enable drivers to work staggered hours and Mr D. C. Close, a Christchurch City councillor, said this was important in the interests of safety. The new vehicles will probably not be delivered until March or April, and so provision for them could be made in next year’s estimates. The committee also agreed that consideration should be given to buying a ninth trailer unit with a portable hydraulic kit as a back up.

Mr Maurice Carter, another Christchurch City Councillor, said that as the problems were caused by the amount of refuse being taken to the stations the committee should look closely at reducing the fees charged to those with compacting vehicles who were prepared to haul their rubbish direct to the landfill site. The Planning Tribunal approved the passage of 90 vehicles a day to the landfill site, but Mr Vogan said only about 30 to 40 were being made now. New chairman Mr R. B. Wright, a Christchurch City Council representative, was elected chairman of the committee as a result of the death of Mr W. T. Rice. Tribute was paid to Mr Rice’s service to both the Metropolitan Refuse Disposal Committee and to the Wgimairi District Council.