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<\/p>\nBristol Live readers argue over who’s to blame<\/p>\n
Fly-tipping at communal bins in St Pauls(Image: Better Streets: St Pauls)<\/p>\n
Bristol Live readers have been sharing their views on news that St Pauls residents are urging Bristol City Council<\/a> to remove the communal bins scattered throughout the area<\/a>. Locals say the large containers encourage fly-tipping and attract vermin, and are appealing to senior councillors to “not let St Pauls become the UK’s first Green slum”.<\/p>\n The communal bins were initially introduced 15 years ago following worries that pavements lacked sufficient space for individual wheelie bins, which were “overcrowded and untidy”. These were subsequently replaced with “mini-recycling centres”, which are essentially large bins positioned at street corners.<\/p>\n Nevertheless, campaigners argue that communal bins have led to significantly reduced recycling rates and increased vermin problems, including seagulls. Council leaders indicated they would attempt to remove the communal bins “where they can” during the environment policy committee meeting on Thursday, 26 February.<\/p>\n Several commenters focused on the city’s overall appearance., with one reader, Emodando writing: “From someone who lives outside of Bristol and travels all around Europe every year, I can assure you most of Central Bristol looks like a slum, From the airport the decay of Bedminster<\/a>, The M32 slums of Eastville, Bath<\/a> road dross of Totterdown, Temple Meads the derelicts. Jeepers, when is someone going to get a grip, or are we catering for the unwashed and students?”<\/p>\n AdvisoryService101 adds: “The huge quantities of stuff students chuck out when they leave is unreal. I once confronted four students who were trying to dump an old sofa on to Redland train station platform.”<\/p>\n LabourLiars feels: “The Green Party is more than happy to oversee rubbish being strewn everywhere. Remember green mantras: car ownership is bad, littering and transcontinental flight are fine.”<\/p>\n Webbo3 says: “Blame the people that live there.”<\/p>\n Brizzlebabber comments: “Unfortunately, many people who do not live in the area see the communal waste bins as a cheap and easy option to dispose of rubbish. Builders working in the area regularly dump their rubbish. I have seen local businesses, too, use these sites to dispose of their packaging.”<\/p>\n Ferdy says: “The communal bins fill up in a day but are not emptied daily. Once the bin is full, where are you meant to put your rubbish?”<\/p>\n Dbanderson states: “Could become!? I\u2019ve been in Europe for a few weeks. Bristol is probably the third largest slum in Europe. After Marseille and Paris.”<\/p>\n Mieka suggests: “All over Bristol. Not only St Pauls. All the estates have fly tipping. I can understand it in a way though. I’ve just paid \u00a3110 to have garden waste taken away. But no way could I dump rubbish.”<\/p>\n Jacksthelad04 writes: “Unbelievable, this problem has not been addressed in 15 years. What have previous administrations been doing? Get the local MP on it who, next month, will get an inflation-busting 5 per cent pay rise, taking MP pay to \u00a398,599. By the end of the parliament (2029), IPSA’s aim is for MP pay to be \u00a3110,000. Meanwhile, nurses and other NHS<\/a> workers are being offered 3.3 per cent.”<\/p>\n DaiDontSleep replies: “More like 30 years or more from what I’ve heard and know from personal experience of living there.”<\/p>\n