Opinion: ‘Rename it the Litter Walk’

On Sunday last week I walked from Cecil Road along Peveril Road then Stone Lane and along Lincoln Road to Rhubarb Bridge.

I think the walk should be renamed and I would like to suggest the LITTER WALK.

At the risk of being likened to “disgusted of Tunbridge Wells” or an old moaner I just need to get the following off my chest.

Why are street bins removed from areas where they are clearly needed?

There used to be three street bins on Peveril Road which was very sensible as there are two shops nearby.

They have disappeared and I can only surmise they have been removed.

Consequently there are cans and bottles in the gutter and recently the phone box became a proxy bin.

Why are overflowing bins not emptied by the council? I think I may know the official reason and that is because either they are too full (health and safety concerns perhaps for refuse collectors) or in the case of the green recycling bins they may have non recycled stuff in them. I know this to be true as one day I saw my green bin was opened and then left unemptied. I gave chase and was told, politely I may add, that it was because there was some polystyrene in it. My mistake and I removed it so it was duly emptied. Took me all of 2 seconds.

I appreciate that the refuse lorries may be checked when they get back to the yard and refuse collectors penalised if they have collected non recyclable waste but surely there could be a refuse lorry that could empty these bins and sort out what can and can’t be recycled.

Having enquired about street bins and my thought there should be 2 sections so recycled goods could be separated by the public I was told that when emptied they are sorted. Why can’t the same be applied to green bins?

By not taking these bins the City Council is contributing to the disgusting mess on the streets such as black bin sacks piled up when bins are full. Clearly some properties may well need more bins and perhaps we should have skips strategically placed to encourage disposal.

On a positive note I read that bulky waste collections had restarted.

‘Great’ I thought, only to have my joy dashed when the following week they were halted!

It appears the service was overwhelmed. Yes but doesn’t that tell its own story. Even when people want to legitimately get rid of surplus items they can’t.

I do despair.