ODS, Oxford’s council-owned waste and recycling company, has launched a workforce safety campaign after a number of near-miss incidents involving collection crews.
The campaign, called DROPs (Driving Recklessly on Pavements), urges motorists to slow down and be patient around working vehicles.
Between March 2025 and August 2026, ODS recorded 15 incidents of vehicles driving dangerously on pavements near collection operations. All were reported to police, and some have led to prosecution, including a fine and driving ban.
Crews also report drivers squeezing past in narrow roads and making last-second overtakes.
New high-visibility clothing and vehicle signage carry messages including ‘Someone’s loved one is behind this truck’.
Cllr Nigel Chapman, cabinet member for citizen focused services and council companies, said a few extra seconds of waiting could prevent a serious accident.
‘Behind every collection vehicle and every member of our workforce is a person with family and loved ones waiting for them at home,’ he said.
‘The message is clear: the street is a workplace, and everyone has a role to play in protecting the people who keep Oxford’s streets clean.’
Martin Shields, ODS assistant director of health and safety, added: ‘Health and safety is one of ODS’s core values. We continue to strengthen the measures we have in place to protect our staff through training, equipment, reporting systems, on-street safety practices and CCTV technology fitted to our fleet. But keeping people safe is a shared responsibility and we need motorists to play their part.’
Further reading: Simpler Recycling’s Hidden Safety Risks
Photo: ODS vehicle © ODS
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