LOCALS are being invited to help name Wokingham Borough Council’s new fleet of waste collection lorries and street cleaning vehicles ahead of their introduction this summer.
The council is launching a public competition to find creative, memorable names for the vehicles that will keep the borough clean and tidy.
Residents will have 2 weeks to come up with some clever and creative names.
Across the UK, similar competitions have produced well known favourites such as Bin Diesel and Sweep Caroline, and the council hopes residents will enjoy coming up with equally imaginative suggestions for the local fleet.
The chosen names will then be displayed on the front of the cabs when the vehicles enter service from Monday, June 1, making them easy to spot as they carry out collections and cleaning across the borough.
Winning entrants will receive prizes from Biffa, the council’s new waste collection and street cleansing contractor, which will begin operating the new service from June this year.
Schools with pupils who submit winning suggestions will also receive a special visit from the newly named vehicle later in the year.
Cllr Katrin Harding, executive member for environment and climate emergency, said: “This is a fun way for residents of all ages to get involved in the launch of our new waste collection and street cleansing service.
“These vehicles will be working in our communities every day, so it’s fitting that local people get the chance to name them.
“We’re looking forward to seeing the creativity and humour of the borough.
“We’re pleased to be working with Biffa to deliver improvements that residents will benefit from right across the borough.”
The new lorries will include modern in-cab technology designed to make collections more efficient and cost effective, and the fleet will support the council’s climate goals by incorporating more fuel-efficient models and smaller electric vehicles.
The vehicles will have reduced carbon emissions while maintaining good standards in street sweeping, litter collection, fly-tipping response and graffiti removal, the council says.
The new contract will result in some collection days changing and new arrangements for some residents.
Affected households will be contacted directly later in the year.
The naming competition opens this week, and residents can submit ideas using an online form until Friday, January 30.
Entries will be shortlisted by councillors, council staff and partners before going to a public vote from February 9 until February 27, with the winning names announced on Friday, March 6.
Ideas for names can be submitted at: engage.wokingham.gov.uk (search for ‘help name borough’s bin lorries’).
