Recycling services are set to spread to more parts of the countryside and new-build estates in Carlisle and the surrounding area.

More households across the city council’s patch will be able to do their bit for the environment because a new waste scheme is being developed.

Carlisle City Council is working towards rolling out the scheme, which will extend its doorstep recycling services and see a fleet of new vehicles drafted in, by May next year.

This means most properties in rural areas, as well as new estates in the city and surrounding towns, will have their recycling collected.

A report, which came before the authority’s environment and economy overview and scrutiny panel, said: “From May 2017 all properties, where practically possible, will have the opportunity to be added to the kerbside collection of dry recycling and garden waste.”

Meanwhile, green box and bag schemes will be merged and there will be one recycling service.

The council’s executive has approved the release of £2,077,400 of funds to support the vehicle replacement programme for 2016/2017.

At least 15 refuse, recycling and street cleaning vehicles are either on order or are due to be ordered.

The vehicles have added safety features including reversing cameras and on-board cameras, vehicle tracking systems, emergency vehicle stop buttons and cleaner tail pipe emissions.

Councillor Mike Mitchelson, a member of the scrutiny panel and who represents Brampton on the council, said: “They’re changing the way we collect refuse.

“They’re getting new wagons and some of the recyclables are going to be collected together and may be mixed rather than in separate containers.

“They’re also extending it to houses that don’t currently get it.

“I think it’s going to be better.

“Currently the position has been that any new estates, and quite a lot of rural areas such as outside of Brampton, they don’t get all their recyclable waste collected at the doorstep like those in Carlisle or the centre of Brampton.

“The new system will extend to what we’ve been arguing for for ages – to most of the households within the city council area.”

New rounds and options are currently being considered to shape the service.

The report revealed further details.

“Although most residents won’t notice a big difference to how they recycle, there may be some changes to the day they put out their recycling and refuse,” it added.