Rats and mess beside school
A “RAT-INFESTED” fly-tip has plagued a street in Ealing for more than three months.
Mattresses, bed frames and tables are among the items which have been dumped near general waste bins behind a convenience store in The Broadway, Greenford, just yards away from Stanhope Primary School.
Waste is overflowing from the bins provided, while one resident says a “foul smell” is now overpowering the area.
Ealing Council says it cannot remove the rubbish because it has been dumped on private land, but added it has taken measures to monitor the area.
Rosan Bhatt, who lives in Greenford, said he first noticed the fly-tip in August and says more items have been dumped over the past few weeks.
“This spot is just next to a primary school and this looks very hazardous for both school and local residents especially with rodents and the smell,” the 35-year-old told MyLondon.
“There are rats running around and street drinkers around there a lot of the time. There are shops and houses nearby and it’s horrible for everyone around there.
“It’s very unhygienic. It doesn’t give the area a good look at all.”
Mr Bhatt says he has reported the fly-tip to Ealing Council on several occasions but nothing has been done to tackle the issue.
“I and other residents have been chasing the council about this for months but they keep saying that this is a private road and the residents should clear this,” he explained.
“Why are the bins not cleared properly as these belong to the council? Now residents are suffering from the foul smell and rats running around this spot, which is also just next to a primary school.
“The council has been turning a blind eye and have not been willing to co-operate with local residents.
“We have been asking council to relocate these bins or do a deep clean of this spot now and then and prevent fly-tipping.
“Why can’t the council put a warning sign and ask the bin collectors to clean the whole area properly?”
Ealing Council says it has instructed the landowner to remove the rubbish.
A council spokesperson told MyLondon: “We’re sorry to hear about the problems experienced by these residents and are happy to provide advice and assistance on measures to prevent further fly-tipping, however the legal responsibility for clearing such waste from private land lies with the landowners.
“The council has issued a community protection notice on the landowner instructing them to keep it clear and secure.
“The council has also installed a gate and signage, paved part of the alley way and installed a CCTV camera to monitor the area.
“We encourage anyone who witnesses such behaviour to report it to the council immediately so we can take strong action.”