Stinking rubbish left to rot
Fly-tipping hazard
A community councillor says he fears for kids’ health over the “disgusting” state of a Springhall lane, which is being used as a dumping ground by selfish fly-tippers.
Barry Cathie has demanded urgent action from South Lanarkshire Council over the “stinking” mass of dumped rubbish on Ross Place near to residents’ flats and close to two schools.
He says bags of rubbish containing rotting food and soiled nappies are being launched from landings on to the communal ground below, rather than being put in nearby bins.
Mr Cathie believes broken pallets which have added to the eyesore may have been thrown from passing vehicles from outside the area.
And he fears an infestation of rats if the strewn waste – which includes discarded kids’ toys, bedding, textiles and flooring – isn’t cleared soon.
The Rutherglen community councillor says he has received complaints from a number of concerned residents about the state of the land near to Loch and St Anthony’s primary schools.
“At the top of Ross Place, people have been throwing bin bags from the top of landings on to the bin area. The bags burst and the contents go all over the place,” he said.
“When the bins are full, people place bags on top of them and it overflows. Birds burst the bags open, and it is just stinking. I was in a close yesterday near to the bins and there was a strong sewage smell, probably from faeces in nappies.”
Mr Cathie is concerned that milder weather conditions will make the stench even worse and he has raised his concerns with a South Lanarkshire Council housing officer.
“Kids can’t play there because of the state of it,” he continued. “It’s not fair on the kids, especially with summer coming up. There are two schools nearby and that is a big worry. It is dangerous. People have to get up every morning and look at it, see it every day.”
Mr Cathie hopes that as coronavirus restrictions ease, the council will be able to deploy more resources in a clean-up of the area.
Extending his thanks to hardworking council cleansing staff who are doing their best in the circumstances, he said: “These times are hard for them, having to deal with an overload of rubbish left by residents.”
And he appealed to householders: “Keep the area clean and safe, and put rubbish in the bin properly. If they see bags overflowing, they should report it to the council rather than just leaving it and making it worse over time.”
Alistair McKinnon, head of facilities waste and grounds services at South Lanarkshire Council, said: “I can confirm our street cleansing team are aware of this illegally dumped waste and removal has been arranged.
“Fly-tipping is anti-social and unacceptable, we will always take steps to identify those responsible and significant fines can be imposed.
“There is no excuse for this behaviour. Our household waste and recycling centres (https:// www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/ directory/40/waste_and_recycling_ centres) are open, the nearest being Eastfield and special (bulk) uplifts (https://www.southlanarkshire.gov. uk/info/200155/uplifts/26/special_ bulk_uplifts) can be arranged if kerbside collection is required.”
A new park and ride facility to encourage sustainable travel in Cambuslang has moved up a gear after funding was confirmed.
More than 250 new parking spaces, including new electric vehicle charging infrastructure, will be provided by the new plan.
The development is taking shape on derelict land opposite Cambuslang train station, adjacent to Bridge Street.
Funding for the entire project has now been confirmed from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and work is expected to conclude by the end of the summer.
Chairman of South Lanarkshire Council’s community and enterprise resources committee, councillor John Anderson, is delighted with the latest developments and said: “I recently visited the site and was pleased to see the progress that is being made there.
“Providing support for sustainable transport is a welcome landmark in our drive to deliver improvements to support more eco-friendly travel options for the community in Cambuslang and surrounding areas.”
Once open, access to the Park and Ride facility will be via a new dedicated right turn lane from Bridge Street.
While the majority of the works on site will not impact on the existing roads infrastructure, there will be some traffic management required for a time to allow for the safe construction of the right turn lane.
The development is being funded in partnership with Strathclyde Partnership for Transport and South Lanarkshire Council.
The project follows years of lobbying by local residents and Cambuslang Community Council. South Lanarkshire
Council executive director of community and enterprise resources Michael McGlynn explained: “This development is an important link in the wider development goals for this area, it will bring a derelict site back into use and deliver environmental improvements.
“Some local disruption is inevitable with a development on this scale and I would ask for patience for any inconvenience caused and thank the community in advance for supporting the delivery of this infrastructure investment.”
SPT chairman, Councillor Dr Martin Bartos, hailed the project and believes it will have a positive impact.
He said: “SPT is proud to invest in this key park and ride infrastructure project that will encourage more people to make the switch to rail and reduce the need to travel by car.
“Despite the many challenges faced over the past year, SPT’s capital programme continues to support a range of transport projects that offers more sustainable and active travel choices to people across Strathclyde.”
This is an important link in the wider development goals for this area, bringing a derelict site back into use