Residents in west London have hit out at fly-tippers who regularly leave “piles” of waste on the streets — with one saying the area now resembles a “municipal rubbish dump”.
Those living near to the High Road in Chiswick say it is frequently blighted with bin bags, while cardboard boxes and even old furniture are often dumped on the streets.
Some claim the London Borough of Hounslow is “incapable” of keeping the streets clean, while others have suggested the problem has worsened since private company Hounslow Highways was contracted by the council. Writing on local blog Chiswickw4.com, Carl Wynne said: “Hounslow council clearly do not bother to impose any form of code of conduct around retail premises and private refuse collection companies, nor prosecute domestic refuse dumpers.”
Richard Dismore told the Standard: “The first garden suburb now looks like a municipal rubbish dump. Some bags contain waste from restaurants, so public health is at risk.”
Councillor Robert Oulds said: “It is revolting. The council has a duty to clean the streets and they are failing. It undeniably has got worse since Hounslow Highways got the contract.”
Leader of Hounslow council, Steve Curran said: “People living in Chiswick are quite right to complain and I share their disgust. Hounslow Highways has had some success in issuing fines, but more can be done. We’ll be improving collection services and issuing more fines to those who persistently litter.”
Council statistics show that Hounslow Highways has issued 11 fines on Chiswick High Road and Turnham Green Terrace in the last two weeks. They have issued 243 environment-related Fixed Penalty Notices this year.
Rob Gillespie, service director for Hounslow Highways said: “Hounslow Highways has a stringent daily regime to ensure the streets are clear and their job is made harder when waste spills on the roads. Hounslow council is maintaining a presence, in conjunction with Hounslow Highways, to educate the community in how to dispose of waste correctly. Hounslow Highways continues to work with the council to ensure a clean and safe environment.”
