Wokingham's Bin Lorries Get Creative Nicknames

Disney and Star Wars characters are amongst the nicknames given to a new fleet of bin lorries by Wokingham Borough Council.

Residents across Wokingham Borough picked the winning names for the council’s new waste collection lorries and street cleaning vehicles. The trucks, with the names painted on the sides, will appear across the Borough from Earley and Woodley in the north to parts of Crowthorne and Finchampstead in the south when they go into service in June.

There were more than 1,100 suggestions and more than 2,200 votes on the shortlist.

The dustcart names are:

• Binderella, suggested by 22 residents;
• Binnie the Pooh, suggested by eight residents;
• Trash Gordon, suggested by 11 residents;
• Obi Wan Binobi, suggested by two residents;
• Recyclosaurus Rex, suggested by two residents;
• Bindiana Jones, suggested by eight residents.

The street sweepers will be called Sweeping Beauty (suggested by 11 residents) and Shaun the Sweep (suggested by five residents).

The winners who submitted the names are Year 3 class at Gorse Ride School, Amelia and Annabelle at Hillside Primary School and Jack at Loddon Primary School. The naming process began in January with open suggestions before a public vote on a shortlist.

According to the council, the new fleet is more fuel-efficient, using technology to support smoother driving and includes some smaller electric vehicles as part of the new contract awarded last year. It’s valued at about £7 million per year and runs for at least eight years. Wokingham climate chief, cllr Katrin Harding, hopes the trucks will produce lower carbon admissions.

She said: "This competition has been a wonderful way for our community to get involved and I loved seeing the hundreds and hundreds of creative suggestions. The submissions were full of character and humour. The winning ideas show exactly why this borough is known for its creativity. We look forward to seeing the named vehicles on the road when the new fleet begins work in June."

Ted O'Neill, Local Democracy Reporter