Ratepayers won't pick up bill to fix 'overweight' rubbish trucks

The safety measure was recommended by the Transport Workers Union, who said drivers faced fines and the loss of demerit points if they were caught driving overweight vehicles.

A Suez spokeswoman on Friday said it would install the weight scales in all of its side-loading collection trucks, at its own costs, over the next two to four weeks.

The spokeswoman would not disclose the cost of the work.

She said the company had been "very proactive" after being made aware of the overweight trucks, advising the ACT government of the problem on September 28 - seven days before the cancelled collection shift.

Suez obtained a permit from the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator to increase weight limits to 6700, and received engineers certification from the truck manufacturer for the temporary modifications, she said.

A spokesman for the ACT government's transport and city services directorate corroborated Suez's version of events, confirming the contractor would cover the total cost of installing the weight scales.

When asked by Fairfax Media whether the government could guarantee the issue would not disrupt household rubbish collection in the future, the spokesman said: "The ACT government is pleased that Suez has worked efficiently and collaboratively to ensure that all collection vehicles are compliant with heavy vehicle standards and continue to provide this core service to the ACT community".

The spokesman said Canberra's household rubbish collection would be back on schedule by Monday, October 15.

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