From this week’s issue of Railway Herald:

Welcome to the age of the21 st century rubbish bin!

Rubbish bins could make a limited comeback on London Underground stations and city streets, due to a new type that have been built to withstand the blast of a terrorist’s bomb.

The steel armour-plated bins have been developed to withstand at least 75% of a blast’s force and contain the fireball resulting from an explosion. Hundreds of them are due to be installed through London’s financial district next year after the British company behind them spent five years testing them to destruction in the Mexican desert. The bins are designed to have digital screens on the side that will relay news, financial and travel information to passers-by throughout the day. Bins were removed from the London Underground in February 1991 following an IRA blast in Victoria station. Most were removed from the City the following year, and the last few were taken away after a large bomb left in a bin in Bishopsgate exploded in April1993. Environmental groups have blamed the lack of bins for an increasing tide of litter across the country, but with each new bin costing £30,000 and weighing roughly a ton. it is unlikely they will be used in anything but the most sensitive locations!

Thirty Grand! £30,000!! For a litter bin!? How many cleaning staff could we employ for that? Are we really that desperate? What’s wrong with transparent plastic sacks as used in other cities? Even if more expensive, recycled or bio-degradable plastic sacks would be a fraction of the cost!