OLD bin lorries meant residents' rubbish was less likely to be picked up last year than the year before, it has emerged.

South Oxfordshire and Vale of White Horse District Councils employ Biffa to collect residents' waste and fly-tipping, amongst other jobs, in both areas.

Work has shown the use of the ageing bin lorries was a major reason for missed bin collections targets being nearly three times higher than the two councils had hoped.

A review found the company missed 110 collections in every 100,000 in 2017. That was higher than in 2016, when 65 per 100,000 collections were missed. The company's target was just 40 missed collections.

A report by the councils said they know the missed bin target is 'challenging'.

But that 'poor performance' was 'driven by the issues with Biffa's ageing fleet'. Vehicles regularly broke down because the fleet was 'nearing the end of its operational life'.

The fleet was eventually replaced in October 2017, including separate vehicles for food waste collections. But missed collections still remained high because routes for those were being set up.

South Oxfordshire District Council has employed Biffa since June 2009; Vale of White Horse Council signed up from October 2010. In 2013 both extended their contracts with the firm until June 2024.