The Northern Parishes Refuse Collection Board - Written Statement
Northern Parishes Refuse Collec on Board.
P.R. Teare: Clerk V.A.T Reg No. 000159535
Glen View Kionlough Lane Bride Isle of Man IM7 4 AG Tel: 07624 372924 E-Mail: [email protected]
Date: 12th March 2026
To: Planning Appeals Subject: Objec on to Planning Applica on – Vehicle Access and Refuse Collec on Feasibility Dear Sir/Madam, I am wri ng on behalf of the Northern Parishes Refuse Collec on Board (NPRCB) to provide suppor ng comments regarding concerns over vehicle access and the opera onal feasibility of refuse collec ons associated with the above planning applica on. Having reviewed the submi ed documents, I wish to comment specifically on ‘DWG 000.04B Vehicle Tracking 01 of 02’, which illustrates the proposed movements of the refuse collec on vehicle through the estate when cars are parked along the roadway. Assessment of Vehicle Tracking – DWG 000.04B
The tracking diagram presents an idealised scenario that does not reflect the prac cal constraints our drivers encounter during rou ne collec ons. While the drawing shows a theore cal path for the bin wagon, it assumes:
- Perfectly aligned and consistently posi oned parked vehicles
- No devia on from the illustrated parking pa ern
- Full manoeuvring space without obstruc on
- Op mal turning angles that do not account for real-world variability in driver approach, road camber, or vehicle overhang
In prac ce, the refuse wagon requires a significantly wider swept path than the drawing suggests, par cularly when naviga ng between parked vehicles. The margins shown on the plan leave li le to no tolerance for safe manoeuvring. Even minor varia ons—such as a vehicle parked slightly off-line, a larger vehicle than assumed, or a car encroaching by even a small amount—would prevent the wagon from passing safely.
Impact of Parking in Other Loca ons Along the Road
The drawing only considers parked vehicles in the posi ons shown in the right-hand diagram. However, in a residen al estate, parking pa erns are unpredictable and change daily. If vehicles were parked:
- Opposite driveways
- Near junc ons
- Along narrower sec ons of the road
- On bends or slight offsets not shown in the plan
…the refuse wagon would be unable to maintain the turning circle required to progress through the estate. This would result in missed collec ons, the need for reversing manoeuvres (which we avoid for safety reasons), or the requirement for residents to relocate bins to alterna ve collec on points.
Given the size and weight of the HGV refuse vehicles, any reduc on in available road width or turning space creates a significant opera onal and safety concern. The proposed layout does not provide the flexibility needed to ensure reliable and safe access under normal residen al parking condi ons. Conclusion Based on the above, NPRCB does not consider the vehicle tracking shown in DWG 000.04B to be feasible in real opera onal condi ons. The proposed road layout does not provide sufficient assurance that refuse collec ons can be carried out safely and consistently when typical residen al parking is taken into account.
We therefore support the objec on to this planning applica on on the grounds of restricted vehicle access and the imprac cality of servicing the development with standard refuse collec on vehicles.
Yours faithfully, Phil Teare Clerk Northern Parishes Refuse Collec on Board
