The Shropshire Star evidently thought my wheelie bin “upset” was newsworthy as well as the BBC …
Man sends out council ‘fine’ over bin upset
A Telford man has sent his own “funny” fine of £75 to the council over his wheelie bin being left in the street. He said he was annoted that the bin was never returned and blocked the street.
Stuart Parr of Brookside, in Telford, said he was tired of refuse collectors leaving his wheelie bin on the road.
Mr Parr alleges his bins are taken from a designated spot in his garden and not put back in the same place, resulting in him trying to fine Telford & Wrekin Council.
He said: “I am fed up of having to get up and drag my bins back after they just leave them on the street.
“They are leaving them on the road rather than on the pavement. So I sent them a funny fine. I didn’t get a formal response from them but I know they got the fine because I know someone who works there and they told me they got it.
“I got a phone call to say they would make sure it would not happen again. Then last Thursday they emptied the bins in the road and left them in my street at the end of the drive.
“When my wife came home and wanted to get the car in she had to stop in the road and move the bins before she could park, they were blocking the road – it’s an irritation.”
Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member for the environment, Councillor Steve Bentley, said: “I can confirm we have received a complaint from Mr Parr.
“We are now working with our contractors to try and help resolve matters to his satisfaction.”
Just to clarify something which neither the BBC or Shropshire Star have made clear: the road outside my house is no more than a car and a half wide which means that when the bins are left in the road – particularly when they’re left “double parked” with the next door neighbours’ bins – they are causing an obstruction. I recently spent 10 minutes being entertained by a fire engine trying to do a three point turn in our cul-de-sac after being sent the wrong way by its sat-nav. The road was designed – like so many others in the 60’s and 70’s – for Mini’s, Fiat 125’s, Renault 5’s and the like and not for modern cars.
Technorati Tags: Telford, WTF, Wheelie Bins, Shropshire Star
When I lived in Randlay we at least had a large circle at the bottom of the cul-de-sac for large or small vehicle to turn but you’re right enough, the road was very narrow. The small estate was built in the early 80s but I should think the fields it overlooked are all housing now.
I’ve never met such an incompetent council as Wrekin. Awful employers and even worse at PR.
Don’t I know of a Stuart Parr from somewhere?
Sounds like your binmen are a messy bunch. Thankfully ours are a little better. They don’t return the wheelie bins to their usual places but they do leave them nicely “parked” on the edge of each property.
Should have said Solihull!