Veolia is cutting the number of trucks that collect rubbish around Merton by 25 per cent.

This news comes as the waste collection company announced it would be rolling out 12 new vehicles that will be "more efficient, safer for residents, and more environmentally friendly."

These will add to the ten general waste vehicles already in use.

Scott Edgell, general manager for Veolia was excited about the new trucks.

"Veolia’s aim is to provide a sustainable service focusing on safety, efficiency and environmentally friendly solutions," he said.

"We are delighted to announce that more vehicles will be arriving in May, of which new GPS, on-board technologies and safety cameras are only some of the key features."

The new recycling vehicles feature two compartments; one for food waste and the other for recycling waste.

This means crews will be able to collect food waste and recycling at the same time.

The company said it was this reason that led to the total number of vehicles being cut.

"This will mean less vehicles on the road and less congestion on Merton’s streets," the company said in a release.

Leader of Merton Council Stephen Alambritis thanked Veolia for having "safety and efficiency in mind."

"These new vehicles reflect Veolia’s commitment to safety for their driver, operatives and indeed to residents of the borough," he said.

"We are pleased with Veolia’s attention to detail in looking ahead towards dual use vehicles that will mean that food and recycling will be collected at the same time."