Fed up Berkhamsted residents campaign for council to reinstate bin over litter concerns

Residents in Berkhamsted are campaigning to get a bin reinstated after they say it was removed because of fly tipping.

Anne Durvall, of Bank Mill Lane, regularly litter picks in the area and is calling for the council to bring the bin back to reduce the amount of littering.

She says a number of residents on the road were shocked when Dacorum Borough Council removed the bin from the car park on Bank Mill Lane, in December.

She said: "We have been trying to get a bin reinstated for six months now and the council are determined that there will not be one there. It seems so silly to me.

"They said people were dumping things there and that is not the case at all.

"The bin had been there for 37 years, without any problems.

"But, over the last few years we have had HGVs travel down the narrow road, despite a sign saying 'no access for HGVs'.

"These lorries were bringing bits of trees down and they would lose some bits off their vehicles as well.

"They were left by the side of the road so I took them and placed them next to the bin.

"The bins would be emptied, but the other bits next to the bin would not be removed.

"The council then took the bin away and said that people were fly tipping, I explained that people were not fly tipping and I was just moving debris from the roadside and placing it next to the bin.

"That was in December, and since then we have not had a bin.

"The council say they removed it because people were leaving too much stuff there, but the amount of rubbish I see left around bins in town, and they haven't been removed, it doesn't make sense.

"I do litter picking so I have litter sacks, ever since we had the bin removed, I have been leaving the sacks out for people to fill with their rubbish.

"Plenty of these sacks have been used by people, I then have to call the council for someone to come and remove the sacks.

"Surely if they just put the bin back, it would save me a job of leaving the sacks out and calling them to collect them, and it would save them coming to collect the bags all the time.

"All we want is a bin, will I have to keep leaving these rubbish sacks out for people to fill for the rest of my life?"

Lee Payton added: "There seems to be no rationale behind moving the bin from that area.

"My concern is that local planning is advanced for a substantial increase in housing on the adjacent fields of London Road, Berkhamsted. These are already in the public domain.

"This will substantially increase footfall through Bullbeggars Lane and Bank Mill Lane.

"Mrs Duval is to be admired, she often walks up and down these roads collecting litter, nappies, fast food wrappers, drinks cans, coffee cups and other rubbish which has been discarded or left by passers through."

A Dacorum Borough Council spokesperson said: “It’s great that Anne and hundreds of other people in Dacorum have pride in where they live and regularly litter pick in their local areas.

“We have received 22 fly-tip reports since January 2020 at Bank Mill Lane which has highlighted the issue at this location.

"When the bin was damaged in December, it was removed and since then we have seen a reduction in fly-tipping – although this could be for a number of factors.

“A supervisor will be visiting the site over the coming weeks to monitor the amount of rubbish and litter in the area to determine if having a bin onsite will reduce litter or attract more fly tipping.

“We would like to remind residents that rubbish should not be left next to bins, as this is still classed and recorded as fly-tipping.

"To organise a local litter pick, get access to equipment and arrange for the rubbish to be collected please email [email protected]”