Anger at cuts to rural bin collections

COUNCIL chiefs have been criticised over proposals that could see a country lane
“ruined” by “industrial sized” communal bins and doorstep collections axed for people who live down farm tracks.
Durham County Council is considering plans to no longer send bin wagons down private roads and tracks.
Instead, most rural properties will have to leave their rubbish and recycling on main roads and lane ends.
A number of properties along Ramshaw Lane, in Ramshaw, are among those that may be affected. They include an elderly couple who would have to take their waste uphill along a rough track.
Large communal bins are expected to be installed at Ramshaw Heugh, despite opposition from residents who say it will destroy the look of the countryside and lead to an increase in flytipping.
The plans come amid an “ironic” announcement that nearby Evenwood could be chosen for a pilot programme called Operation Spruce Up, which involves county teams carrying out a major tidy up to foster civic pride.
Charlotte Tudor lives down a rough track at Ramshaw House, where for years council binmen have been driving about 300 metres to collect rubbish. She said: “When I read about the clean-up in Evenwood, I just thought this seems ridiculous that they can be trying to tidy up one place and then putting these large industrial size wheelie bins to spoil a country lane.
“We’ve had a million reasons why they don’t want to bring the bin wagon down to the properties but it’s all about saving money.”
Residents fear the communal bins, which have not yet been installed, will lead to more flytipping.
“It’s already a problem. Over Christmas it’s been awful with five fridges dumped and someone has tipped a big bag of rubbish at the top of the lane,” said Mrs Tudor.
Resident Sue Lamb added: “People will see this bin area as a designated place to dump their rubbish. It’s also in a really dangerous place because the road’s not gritted and there’s been vehicles in the dyke.”
Five properties are located down their track and about eight on another nearby lane could also be affected in Ramshaw.
“They are presuming that everybody has got some way of getting rubbish to the top of the lane but that’s not always possible if you are elderly,” added Mrs Tudor. Householders are also worried about the communal bins causing a traffic hazard because they will block the vision for drivers leaving the lane, which is not gritted.
Suggestions that modern bin lorries are too big for farm tracks have been rejected by the residents who have pointed out that tractors and combine harvesters are able to drive down.
One of the residents has been battling a serious illness and lives alone with her two young children.
She is worried about being able to take her rubbish to the top of the lane while keeping an eye on her kids. Others are questioning how the move will save money because of the cost of creating a hardstanding area and installing large bins. They say it is just as easy for a bin lorry to pop down the lane.
Keith Parkinson, Durham County Council’s refuse and recycling manager, said: “We are currently in the process of reviewing how properties at Ramshaw will have their waste and recycling bins collected and must stress that no decisions have been made.
“For a number of years many rural and isolated properties in County Durham have had their bins collected from the nearest safe point to the public highway rather than directly outside their home. More than half of such properties currently receive these collections without residents experiencing problems. Collecting from the lane end saves public money by allowing us to use a smaller fleet of larger vehicles, increases the amount of items that can be recycled and removes difficulties associated with accessing some properties in winter.
“Following public consultation and introduction of a countywide policy, we are currently carrying out assessments at rural or remote properties which have bins collected from outside the home to see if they are suitable for lane end collections.
“These assessments take account of road safety, impact on access and neighbouring properties, and whether residents are able to transfer
refuse and recycling themselves. Residents can be assured that lane end collections will not be introduced where they would cause significant problems.”