Orihuela Council has added three new trucks to its municipal waste collection and street-cleaning fleet. The vehicles were presented on Wednesday by Mayor Pepe Vegara and councillor Rocío Ortuño in Plaza del Carmen, next to the town hall.

The fleet now includes two Renault Master L2 3500 tipper trucks with rear platforms and a Renault Master L3 3500 fitted with a HIAB grab crane. All three have 150 horsepower diesel engines, Euro VI emissions standards, ABS, stability control, emergency braking assistance, air conditioning and airbags. The grab-equipped vehicle also has hydraulic extensions and extendable stabilisers.

Fruehauf Recambios S.L. has supplied the vehicles under a contract worth €193,540.71, including VAT. The deal includes five years’ warranty and GPS tracking, and brings the number of vehicles added through this phase of the renewal process to nine. The council says the purchases form part of an investment of more than €6 million to modernise the service.

However, residents continue to criticise waste collection, particularly during the summer. Complaints include overflowing bins and illegal dumping on Orihuela Costa, while some inland districts have older containers and less frequent collections. The council says the wider renewal is intended to improve the service across the municipality.