THEY are the most unsung of public servants, but the most vital too.

 

Glasgow's cleansing workers, many raw with sorrow after the George Square disaster, somehow still took to the streets yesterday.

They had no choice. If they did not, the city centre would have been choked with rubbish

Cal Waterson, of the GMB, which represents most of them, said: "They have a public service ethos.

"There was a feeling among some of the members that the trucks should be off the road.

"But unfortunately life goes on and the work needs to be done. They are getting on with it. But the mood seems pretty sombre."

Senior officials at Glasgow City Council have already commended their staff for sticking to tough Christmas schedules.

The lorry that careered down Queen Street in to George Square on Monday afternoon, killing six and hurting eight more, was one of a team that collects commercial waste from city centre businesses.

The driver - one of those hurt - is thought to have lost control of the vehicle after having some medical problem. He is in hospital, his two crewmates said to be traumatised.

But still the city centre team had to pick up rubbish on Tuesday and today, among the busiest days in the year as heaving shops and restaurants off load their rubbish ahead of the Christmas break. With no collection on December 25 and 26, staff had to clear the backlog.

So too did their colleagues collecting domestic rubbish around the city and their colleagues elsewhere.

Sources stressed Glasgow's cleansing workers, most still male, were tight-knit, many serving the city from boy to man. Monday's accident is thought to be the worst to ever befall the trade. The bin trucks, "vultures" in the trade, have been in collisions before, but nothing like this.

Investigations were at an early stage yesterday and few wished to speculate about what had happened. "Obviously there will be lessons to be learned but it is too early to say what those lessons will be," said Mr Waterson.

The 24-tonne Daf 75 truck - with a body from specialist bin lorry firm Heil - was not thought to be fitted with the kind of dead man's handle typical of trains in its cab in case its driver was taken unwell.

Heavy trucks are not. It was thought to have a speed restriction with speeds quoted by eyewitness of more than 70mph expected to be inaccurate.

The Institute of Traffic Accident Investigators said that vehicles can carry on for a considerable distance if there is an "unintended acceleration", which could be caused by a driver falling ill - and perhaps going into a spasm - with their foot on the accelerator, or by someone inadvertently pressing the accelerator rather than the brake.

The drivers of such bin trucks must have a LGV licence, the DVLA said. Rules for such licences, which have to be renewed every five years, were tightened last year. Drivers under 45 have to provide a medical statement when they renew. Drivers over 45 have to get a medical examination from a doctor to show they are fit every time their licence expires.

The DVLA said some councils apply further terms and conditions for their drivers. Glasgow City Council was unable to say whether it did so.

The council did say that holiday refuse collections would go ahead on a special Christmas schedule, details of which are on their website.