Badly parked cars blocking council’s binmen
STREETS MISS COLLECTIONS AS BIN LORRIES CAN’T ENTER
HUNDREDS of homes have not had their bins emptied – because badly parked cars have stopped council bin lorries getting to them.
Maggots and flies are reported to have been swarming as rubbish piles up outside some homes.
Gedling Borough Council has now asked residents on roads that have missed up to six collections to park more considerately.
The worst affected areas include Third Avenue in Carlton, Holkham Close in Arnold and Appletree Lane, Berry Hill Grove and Clifton Grove in Gedling.
Between June 7 and August 2, collections were missed – sometimes on several occasions – on more than 100 streets.
They included 82 streets in Arnold, 72 in Carlton, 54 in Gedling and 26 in Netherfield.
The council says the problem is putting a financial strain on services as lorries have to return to blocked streets to collect waste.
One of the streets worst affected is Holkham Close, Arnold, where collections were missed on July 22, 28 and 29, and twice on August 8.
Residents described how they watched bin collectors struggle to drive down their street.
Jeanette Hutchinson, 58, who has lived there for five years, said: “Everyone around here has had a letter from the council saying how the dustbin men can’t come down here. Our dustbins are left (unemptied) two or three weeks sometimes.
“There are flies and maggots everywhere and it’s not good. A lot of people around here are elderly, so you are having to go to the recycling centres because we are not getting rubbish taken away.
“It is very inconsiderate parking – that is what is causing it.”
Susan Cartwright, 72, who has lived on the street for 10 years, added: “The dustbin men can’t get through to empty the bins. Last week they did not empty them.
“You want your black bin emptied because it starts to smell however much you wrap it up. Then people leave rubbish stacked up at the side.
“It is not just the cars – it is the dustbins being left out. Residents should take them into their own properties rather than leave them on the back roads.”
Councillor John Clarke, leader of the council, who represents Netherfield for Labour, believes the pandemic has caused some of the issues as more people are working at home and not needing to use their vehicles. He said: “There are so many cars on the streets, and it has got worse during the pandemic because there are more cars at home.
“You have also got school holidays and not a lot of people have gone away. It is proving difficult for lorry drivers – they just can’t get down the street. It is causing us problems.”
It is very inconsiderate parking – that is what is causing it
Jeanette Hutchinson