Forum Topic

Bin Removal

Griffin Park Residents' group has just emailed with this:The council is considering removing the bin at the corner of New and Hamilton Road, outside the corner shop, due to the high levels of domestic waste being tipped there.It does leave an awful mess, but might be better if the council emptied it more often.

Mark Gormley ● 2744d12 Comments

I am astonished Guy that as Lead Member you have no idea how many maximum fines if any have been issued to fly tippersWhat a load of twaddle all those press releases and posters threatening to impose the heaviest penalties were and no wonder this Borough is such a cesspit

Paul Fisher ● 2742d

Sometimes you do wonder what passes for brains with some of these councils, this is on a par with the (mistaken) view that if parking isn't provided in housing developments people won't have cars - really? People do not do what those in authority think they will - just because they say they must, one day this will infiltrate through their thick heads.

Vanessa Smith ● 2743d

“I believe we should change the emphasis somewhat to encourage people to take care of their environment rather than focusing on punishment”Totally agree Guy. So what does the Council do to ‘encourage people to take care of their environment’ in and around this square? Surely it is not difficult – all people who regularly make a mess there live in the immediate vicinity and most (all?) accommodations there belong to the Council. For example – did anyone talk to the youths who gather in the square every day and contribute with their litter?“…rather than focusing on punishment of those who transgress (they are very difficult to find anyway, outside of hotspots)”Agree. But this square is one of the hotspots. Especially the Northern part of the North Street. And the area behind the newsagents shop building. Has anything been done?PS. I should admit – yesterday as I cycled by - the area in front of the newsagents shop was almost clean. However the opposite side of the little square was littered as usual.

Alex Shpinkov ● 2743d

I agree on encouragement being nicer, but putting my analytical hat on, people respond strongly to penalties and weakly to rewards.There was an interesting experiment on coffee pricing. Having spent a long time offering a 50p discount to bring your own reusable cup, a University dropped the prices of all coffee by 50p and started charging 50p for a disposable (but difficult to recycle) cup. to 80:20 ratio flipped very rapidly in response to this. The actual prices were effectively the same, but people were perceiving a penalty instead of a bonus.If I were able to choose a superpower, it would be to be able to teleport all fly tipped stuff back into peoples living rooms!

Christopher Gillie ● 2743d

There's this theory, that Ealing Council is experimenting with, that suggests that if they remove litter bins it will make people take their rubbish home, whereas if they provide litter bins, people will just, er, use them and fill them up, and worse still, pile stuff around bins that are full. Maybe Hounslow is toying with the same intriguing and counter-intuitive idea.

Peter Evans ● 2743d

No I haven't, and I don't know the answer. I do know that there were very few littering fines in Brentford or Syon with the majority ih Hounslow central, Hounslow West and Feltham.The large fines are aimed mainly at major professional offenders and £80 is more normal for a domestic flytip.I believe we should change the emphasis somewhat to encourage people to take care of their environment rather than focusing on punishment of those who transgress (they are very difficult to find anyway, outside of hotspots). However, I'm all for enforcement where it's needed and I would like to see it better spread across the borough.

Guy Lambert ● 2743d

The bins were removed some weeks ago for reasons I find unfathomable but will return, I believe this week.Hounslow Highways are responsible for emptying the bins - supposed to be daily - and for cleaning this square.

Guy Lambert ● 2743d

LBE are starting a new initiative which just may have a bit of an effect - but the trouble is that with all the rented accommodation residents are far more transient than they once were.  That includes AirBnB which in my experience was awful concerning the information left for renters ie just plain WRONG! If you are unlucky enough to have this kind of rental near you try and make sure that somebody Landlord or Council deals with it to make sure that any problems are lessened if not avoided!Not quite sure how LBE intend persuading time-poor people to attend the Town Hall though:http://www.ealingtoday.co.uk/default.asp?section=info&link=http://neighbournet.com/server/common/earubbishevent001.htm

Philippa Bond ● 2743d

Has Cllr Lambert ever answered the question often asked of him about how many maximum fines have been issued yet?

Paul Fisher ● 2743d

Apologies, this is LBH isn't it where bulky wheelie bins and recycling boxes were foisted on residents living in very small homes with minute front gardens without any choice. LBH also has very few street recycling banks.How do they know that it is household waste anyway?  What is the definition of household waste?  There are on-the-go recycling bins in some areas of London for the cans and bottles that held the drinks drunk on the hoof.  People often read their post on the way to the station/on the train and eat food whilst travelling or walking home.  The LAs know full well that it isn't a one-size-fits-all situation regarding front gardens and bins - yet LBH chose to display total inflexibility and control-freakery.  How about making more effort to catch those who insist on NOT putting their waste in a bin and instead fly-tip?  Is there a bonus for picking up fly-tipping?  I hope not.

Philippa Bond ● 2743d

Actually the corner of New and Hamilton Road looks very clean and neat compared to the little square in front of the newsagents between Netley Road and North Road, right next to Green Dragon Primary School which is always a horrible mess. I wonder if the Council is going to remove bins there too? Or may be arrange regular cleaning and empty the bins? Or may be even catch a few fly tippers?

Alex Shpinkov ● 2743d

Catch 22.  Why are people using it for domestic waste?  Why don't/won't/can't they use they manage their waste and use their own bins like everybody else? Let's hear the reasons and decide whether they are valid and they have more problems than anybody else.  We all have to make time and make room.

Philippa Bond ● 2744d