Smithills resident bins collection ‘worst it has ever been’

People living on Merlin Grove have raised concerns about the lack of general waste collections, with one resident claiming bins have gone almost a month without being emptied during the summer heatwave.

Maureen Isles, who has lived on the street for 26 years, said the situation is the worst she has experienced in more than two decades living in the area.

She said a scheduled general waste collection on July 23 was not completed until August 1, while another collection due on August 6 had still not taken place as of August 26.

Bins on the back of Merlin Grove are beginning to overflow with rubbish (Image: NQ)

Mrs Isles said she reported the issue to Bolton Council and was told the missed collections were linked to operational issues and difficulties accessing the street.

However, she questioned that explanation, noting that burgundy recycling bins on the same street had continued to be collected as normal.

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Residents say the delays have left bins overflowing for weeks at a time, particularly during periods of hot weather, creating unpleasant conditions and attracting pests.

Mrs Isles said the build-up of waste had become a health and safety concern.

She said: “This is now a matter of health and safety.

“We need this resolved as quickly as possible.”

Flies were gathering on bins (Image: NQ)

The ongoing disruption has meant some households have struggled to dispose of their waste, with residents saying they have run out of space in their bins and have been left with rubbish piling up.

Mrs Isles described the impact the delays have had during the recent warm weather.

She said: “You can imagine we’ve had all that hot weather.

“I’ve had maggots in my bin and I’ve got two indoor cats, so we have cat litter, so you can imagine the smell.”

She added that she is increasingly frustrated because bin collections are one of the services funded through council tax and has also raised concerns that overflowing bins could encourage fly-tipping and attract vermin if the issue continues.

For Mrs Isles, the problem has reached the point where managing waste at home has become a daily challenge.

She said: “I’ve got a bin in here that needs emptying, but I can’t put it anywhere.

“I can’t empty it because I’ve no bin to put it in.”

A spokesperson for Bolton Council said: “Our waste and recycling crews have experienced ongoing issues with access on Merlin Grove which has impacted their ability to carry out some collections.

“We remind all residents to ensure their vehicles are not blocking the road so our waggons can pass safety and easily.

“In addition, we have had some borough wide operational issues which has resulted in delays to some collections, including returning to streets where there was previously no access.

“Our crews are working extended hours this week to recover as many missed streets as possible.”

Mrs Isles said she and her neighbours simply want a reliable collection service and a long-term solution to prevent further missed collections in the future.