The Rawcliffe area, and many others in York, have recently changed over to the wheel bin method of collection.

I decided to check on the difference in time taken between the old method of collection and the new.

To clear our street by the old plastic bag method it took two men three minutes 45 seconds.

By the wheel bin method it took exactly twice this time with both men running for the most part. The reason for this is that the bins have to be brought back to one's gate plus the tipping mechanism takes a relatively long time.

With the operation taking twice as long it stands to reason that there will have to be an extra refuse lorry with its attendant driver and loader.

Even if the task is contracted out the cost is going to almost double. Multiply this by the number of districts involved and the mind boggles.

At a time when City of York Council is crying out to find ways to economise - and has just raised my council tax by £50 a year, which as an OAP I can ill afford - I ask does this make sense?

I look forward to the comments of the 'powers that be' to try and explain this one away, or will they put it down to an order to comply with the EU, or maybe get the money from a 'grant' as they did for the poorly planned Northern Gateway Park and Ride?

Guy Jefferson,

Ings View,

Shipton Road,

York.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.