All councils have a statutory duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to ensure public spaces and highways are kept free from litter and refuse, as far as is reasonably practicable.Fareham Borough Council is responsible for cleaning more than 74 square kilometres including Fareham and its surrounding villages of Portchester, Stubbington, Hill Head, Titchfield, Locks Heath and Warsash, covering terrain ranging from urban to seafront and Solent Airport at Daedalus.
To meet its legal requirement, the Council’s Transport Department operates a fleet of 123 vehicles with everything from 26 tonne refuse trucks to light commercial vehicles to road sweepers – including the truck-mounted Street King and three Swingo compact sweepers from Aebi Schmidt.
Fleet responsibilities for cleaning the borough come under the remit of Fareham Borough Council’s Transport Manager, Damian Ayling, who explained how the operation worked.
“Our Street King and one other medium-sized sweeper, cover the east and west of the borough area, split into two, on a six week rota. They operate five days a week from 6am tackling litter and rubbish in the main streets of all the towns, then repeat the rota at the end of the six-week period. “We particularly like the larger capacity and greater payload of the Street King which means that we have to make less trips for tipping. This is important as tipping fees have gone up, so this is a way of helping keep our costs down.
“We also like the ease with which the Street King can be cleaned out at the end of the day, with easy access and a high-pressure hose to ensure we can get rid of all debris. We also find the wander hose very useful for tackling inaccessible areas, such as traffic islands and near bus shelters, where the main sweeper body can’t always reach.” Once a fortnight, the Street King is also used to sweep Solent Airport at Daedalus, including the runway, apron and parking areas to ensure no foreign objects can affect the airport operation.
Damian said the Council had compiled a shortlist of three medium-sized sweepers before selecting the Street King and had visited Aebi Schmidt’s head office in Peterborough to see the factory and the sweeper in operation before buying it.
Damian said: “We were very impressed. We also felt that the Street King 660 had moved on in terms of technical development, while the others had not.” The Council also uses three of Aebi Schmidt’s highly-acclaimed Swingo compact sweepers for tackling smaller cleaning jobs in pedestrianised areas and on pavements. They are also used on six week rotas, from 6am five days a week, across the Fareham Borough.
The Swingo 200+ offers tremendous suction power, operating at more than 8,600 m3/h, enabling it to sweep at high operating speeds and to collect large amounts of dirt and other debris without problems.
Damian said: “We particularly like the extra suction power of the Swingo which is ideal for tackling tough jobs on our pavements and pedestrian areas. It has also proved very reliable with excellent parts and service back-up. “We have been happy with this current generation model as it has proved easy to operate, including the four-wheel steering, and offers great all-round visibility. We really do see the Swingo as the Rolls Royce of compact sweepers.”
As well as a next day replacement parts service, Aebi Schmidt backs both the Street King 660 and the Swingo with its Total Lifetime Care (TLC) commitment, a unique sales and service programme designed to maximise the life and value of all its equipment and provide customers with exceptional value for money and complete peace of mind.