TWO new solar powered bins have been installed in a Dorset town in a bid to stop seagulls from getting to the rubbish.

Dorset Council has installed two bins in Swanage - one in The Square and one near The Mowlem - as part of a trial to see how well they operate before more are unveiled across the county.

The bins cost £4,500 each and have been funded through the government's Welcome Back Fund which has given councils in England a share of £56m to support the safe return of shoppers to high streets following the coronavirus pandemic.

The rubbish bins are solar powered and have an internal ram that squashes the litter down so that it won't need emptying as frequently as normal bins. The chute is operated by a foot pedal and the ram cannot be accessed from the outside so users will not catch their hands in it and seagulls are unable to get to the rubbish.

A spokesman for Dorset Council said: "We've been working with Swanage Town Council to provide a solution to the town's litter issues and to prevent the gulls getting to it. If the trial is successful, we will be providing more of these bins in the town.

"We're using the government's Welcome Back Fund that has been provided following the Covid pandemic.

"This is a trial of two units for four weeks. The bins cost £4,500 each, which includes all the software, reporting, etc. It will reduce the cost of emptying the bins and, importantly for the town, it will reduce litter."

Councillor Chris Tomes, chair of the tourism committee for Swanage Town Council, hopes the new bins will help reduce the amount of litter in the town centre and support the council's plan to make the town carbon neutral by 2030 after declaring a climate and ecological emergency in 2019.

He said: "Litter is something people are very concerned about and rubbish going into the sea is a huge issue. We need to do our bit to reduce the chances of that happening in the town.

"By compacting the rubbish, the bins will not need emptying as frequently which will reduce the amount of journeys drivers will have to make to them which, in turn, will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide going into the air."

He added: "Seagull proofing the bins is also great as they are a real pest in the town centre."

CONTACT ME:

t: 01305 830999

e: josie.klein@newsquest.co.uk

Twitter: @echo_josie