Outraged residents haven’t had bins collected for two weeks… because garbage lorries don’t fit down the street
The hot weather is making the rubbish smell appalling as bags of household waste sit in the street
RUBBISH is piling up and starting to reek in the hot weather, after it hasn't been collected for two weeks - because the bin lorries don't fit down the Stoke-on-Trent street.
New recycling bins were distributed to people, but the council did not foresee that the trucks to collect the rubbish would not be able to do so.
Furious residents now haven't had their recycling - including food waste, bottles and cardboard - collected for two weeks.
Stephen Ellis, who lives on Fifth Avenue, Kidsgrove, has found maggots in his bins after they have been sitting in the sweltering heat for weeks.
The 58-year-old said: "I had maggots in the food waste the other day.
"I had to put the waste in the normal rubbish bin so it would be collected and I wouldn't get anymore.
"The first collection for the new recycling should have been July 4th, but we're still waiting.
"The council have had all this time to plan but they still got a wagon which was too big for the streets.
"Surely the planners would have known the truck wasn't going to fit?"
Stephen was enthusiastically using the new recycling bins after being encouraged to do so by the council, but has been put off by their poor management.
He added: "I'm not against recycling, but this is ridiculous.
"If it continues to just be left, I'd love to get in my car and dump it on the council's door step."
Irene Longshaw, of Coronation Crescent, Kidsgrove, complained to the council and was advised to put her recycling in the normal household rubbish bins.
Irene, who has lived on the street for 30 years, said: "The food bins are really starting to smell, especially with the heat.
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"Some people are really angry, they even have maggots.
"The usual rubbish is still being collected, so I don't understand why the recycling isn't.
"We have Argos lorries down here.
"I'll just have to keep shoving waste into the normal bins and hope they're still collected, even if they're overflowing."
Karen Goodwin, who lives on the same road, has been forced to take her recycling to the local tip.
The 60-year-old said: "I've not got much patience so I've taken all my recycling to the tip.
"I'm lucky I've got a car and have been able to go to the tip, but not everyone has.
"A few weeks ago the council delivered these new recycling bins, so everybody has been enthusiastically using them and filling them up.
"Then we were told their trucks couldn't fit down our street."
Ann Beech, cabinet member for operational services, said: "The council has collected 25 per cent more recycling than usual during the first two weeks of the new service.
"At the same time as this high demand, we're adjusting to different collection rounds for 55,000 homes alongside new staff and new vehicles.
"Our standard fleet can't access a small number of streets but they are now being serviced by a smaller van until a permanent solution can be developed.
"Some problems in urban areas are heightened by poorly parked cars."
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