Refuse trucks ‘should use Heaton St’

Press, 6 February 1986, Page 1

Refuse trucks ‘should use Heaton St’

Pegasus and East Ward councillors yesterday accused the Christchurch City Council and the Metropolitan Refuse Committee of favouritism to certain residents in allowing refuse truck routes. Crs David Close and Mollie Clark said that Heaton Street residents, who petitioned the council against the heavy trucks using their street, had been favoured with a change of route that left the street out. The street was one of the better arterials in the city and was a street the trucks should use, Cr Close said. Cr Clark said a lot of

work had been done on the surface of the road. “All this for the decision that the street is too good for metro refuse trucks to use,” she said. Since 65 Heaton Street residents presented their petition to the council in November the Metropolitan Refuse Committee decided that its vehicles would avoid Heaton Street for alternative routes, including Cranford Street and Innes Road. Cr Close a representative on the committee, said nothing had been done for many residents in east Christchurch who had long had to put up with trucks.

“I only hope that when a request comes from the east for the trucks to be sent elsewhere it is met with such ready compassion,” said Cr Clark. Another of the council’s representatives on the committee, the chairman, Cr Ron Wright, said no favouritism had been shown. It was simply that Heaton Street had been used for a trial period and once the trial was finished an alternative route had been decided upon. Cr Close said Heaton Street was on the shortest route for the trucks to the landfill station at Waimairi Beach.