SIN BINNED
Sauchiehall trial in bid to clean up city centre
FIRMS are to be banned from leaving rubbish bins out overnight on pavements and lanes.
The council is launching a crackdown to help clean up the city centre.
TOUGH new action is to be taken against city centre businesses which leave large unsightly rubbish bins on pavements and in lanes.
The scheme will mean firms can only leave their rubbish on the street for one hour.
If it is not removed by the end of that time it must be taken back into the premises.
Waste may only be placed out for collection when the businesses is open and never overnight.
A report to city councillors says the issue of commercial waste is a complex and challenging problem which is prevalent across the city and particularly visible in the city centre.
The aim of the new scheme is to reduce the amount of trade waste bins on the streets and improve the look of the city centre.
It is also hoped it will encourage businesses to manage their waste responsibly and recycle more and reduce trip hazards from bins blocking pavements which can affect visually impaired or disabled residents and visitors.
The scheme will be initially piloted in eight city centre locations and if successful will be rolled out across the whole of the city centre.
The report says: “The appearance of the city centre can often be spoiled by the sight of bulky, brightly coloured trade waste containers lining the streets, lanes and pavements.
“The underlying vision for the city centre commercial waste policy is to achieve a city centre free from the visual and environmental blight of commercial waste containers.
“It is understood this will pres- ent an initial period of disruption for businesses and waste contractors however the situation with commercial bins blocking footways and creating environmental blight cannot continue.”
The pilot will affect two areas of Sauchiehall Street, Sauchiehall Lane, Robertson Street, a section of West Nile Street, Garth Street and John Street in the Merchant City, North Lane and North Court.
A survey of the eight areas which was carried out in January found 422 commercial waste bins permanently occupy the pavements, roads or parking bays in the area. Private waste contractors which fail to collect bins within the designated time will have their bins confiscated and will be charged by the council.
The report says: “It is the responsibility of businesses to find a waste contractor that will work with them to find an appropriate internal form of waste storage.
“If the bins cannot be stored inside the curtilage of a business, the council will instruct the waste contractor to remove the trade waste bins forthwith.”
According to the council, the problem of trade waste has got worse since a change in legislation brought recycling for commercial or trade waste into line with domestic waste.
Glasgow Chamber of Commerce chief executive Stuart Patrick said: “We welcome this plan to remove the plethora of waste bins from our streets, but are conscious of the challenge it presents to businesses.
“In the spirit of partnership we will be engaging with the council, the waste contractors and our members to tackle the issue to everybody’s satisfaction. Other cities have found a solution, and it shouldn’t be beyond us.”