WASTE services in Torfaen are being hit by the national shortage of lorry drivers, a meeting has heard.

Disruption to the service was raised at a meeting of Torfaen council’s cross-cutting resources and business overview and scrutiny committee on Tuesday.

Cllr Stuart Evans asked whether bulky waste collections would be reintroduced.

“I think this is causing fly-tipping around the borough,” he said.

However Torfaen council has confirmed there is currently no disruption to bulky waste collections in the borough.

But the council said other parts of the waste service are being affected by the national shortage of HGV drivers.

Rachel Jowitt, the council’s chief officer for neighbourhoods, planning and public protection, said the authority is “struggling for drivers”.

“At the moment bulky waste has just been incredibly difficult to get off the ground on a sustainable footing,” Ms Jowitt said.

“The last thing we want to do is open it and then have to shut it down again.

“We have gone out for recruitment numerous times.

“There are no agency HGV drivers out there.”

Ms Jowitt said the council is working on a campaign to recruit new drivers and also trying to train up new drivers.

“The waste service is not going to be immune from what is happening in the HGV driver market,” she said, adding the authority will be “paying close attention” to the situation.

Torfaen council said waste collections and container deliveries are among areas to have been impacted by the shortage of HGV drivers.

But disruption has not been constant and there have been no issues with bulky waste collections.

The Road Haulage Association has estimated there is a shortage of more than 100,000 qualified drivers in the UK.

Cllr Steven Evans said letters were being sent out to retired lorry drivers asking them to help out.

“I know because I have had a letter off the Department of Transport myself, so that’s how bad the shortages are for HGV drivers,” he said.

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