Orihuela renews its fleet of bin collection trucks with seven more vehicles

According to the Orihuela City Council, the addition of seven new collection trucks to the Urban Solid Waste (USW) collection service enables the Council to further advance in the renewal of the municipal fleet and directly enhance the provision of this service throughout the municipality.

The presentation of the vehicles is timed to coincide with a surge in complaints from residents across the municipality, from the town centre to the outlying districts and the coast, regarding what they consider a “deficient” service. Despite the fact that the rubbish collection fee has tripled from 70 euros annually to 202 euros since January 1, 2025, due to the modification of the tax ordinance, improvements have not yet been observed on the street. This change will be revisited in the plenary session tomorrow, Thursday April 30th, through a motion from Ciudadanos, which will request its review.

The City Council has a total of 12 trucks that have been renewed in recent months, which represents a nearly complete update of the means designated for waste collection, in addition to the five that were already acquired last summer and the new vehicles.

Specifically, these are four side-loading vehicles and three rear-loading trucks, which have a greater collection capacity. This will enhance the efficiency of daily routes, improve response times, and optimise selective collection.

This action is a component of the supply contract for the enhancement of the material means of the urban cleansing and street cleaning service, which consists of five lots valued at a total of 3,439,788 euros. The investment in these vehicles is 1,850,695 euros.

Breakdowns

Rocío Ortuño, the Councillor for Street Cleaning and Solid Waste Management, clarified that “we are not discussing a one-time enhancement; rather, a comprehensive overhaul that has been long overdue.” This is due to the fact that the service has been operating with extremely antiquated trucks, which have resulted in numerous issues and necessitated ongoing repairs and reorganisation. In addition, she stated that “this is an improvement that has been pending for some time and is now being addressed with the necessary resolve, planning, and resources.”

One of the primary goals is to resolve the issues associated with the older vehicles, which have already experienced complete depreciation and require substantial maintenance expenses. “We will be able to provide the service more normally, as there will be fewer breakdowns and interruptions, and we will gain stability with these new trucks,” Ortuño stated.

The councilwoman underscored that “this not only enhances internal operations, but also directly results in superior service for residents, which is ultimately what matters.” She also emphasised that “we can also better organise routes and optimise available resources with more modern vehicles and greater capacity.”

The new trucks are equipped with a geolocation system that transmits data to any mobile device or computer, thereby facilitating more sustainable service administration. Additionally, they incorporate technical enhancements that decrease fuel consumption and emissions. “We are dedicated to a more efficient fleet that not only enhances the service but also mitigates the environmental impact,” the councillor emphasised. He also noted that “modernising the service also entails adapting it to energy efficiency and sustainability criteria.”

Employees

The working conditions of the service’s personnel are also directly impacted by the fleet renewal. Ortuño underscored the necessity of progressing in this regard, as the workers required more appropriate, secure, and convenient tools to perform their duties.

In summary, “these new trucks enhance safety and ergonomics and simplify daily tasks, which also results in increased efficiency.” He also mentioned that the City Council provided six 3,500-kilo vehicles and numerous auxiliary units to support street cleaning, recycling, and bulky waste removal. “We are concluding a plan that had not been addressed for years, progressively renewing all of the service’s resources, and adhering to the Local Waste Management Plan,” he concluded.