Last updated: 20 April 2005

BALAMORAL ROAD, LANCASTER
11/1/05: How about Balmoral Road, Lancaster? The back lanes have rubbish in them that was put out by students at the end of the LAST academic year. It is plain to see it is student rubbish as the bags have long been ripped apart and the contents revealed. Not that it matters whose rubbish it was, as it had been put out legitimately and properly "bagged up". Its just that for some reason, the council have not collected it and now it is strewn all down the lane, and is now joined by rolls of carpet, wrecked furniture, etc... Uncollected rubbish spawns more rubbish. Despite several complaints from residents nothing has been done about it.
Why does the Council never have a meaningful cleanup team at work? All we see is a monthly token visit by the street cleaning machine which is about as much use as a chocolate fireguard round an open fire.
We hear the Council always promising to address the problem.
Not good enough.
We need results. That's what we elected them for and what we pay Council Tax for. By the way, have you noticed how efficient they are at reminding you when your payment is as much as one day late?
Norman, Lancaster

ST. GEORGE'S QUAY
12/1/05:The area behind where I live on St George's Quay, the stairway off the cycle track up to the path leading to the Priory is revolting. It is a health and safety hazard because the banks of rotten leaves have never been cleared, it is smothered with litter and beer bottles and generally an eye-sore. When I moved here a year ago it was very picturesque.
Hey-ho - calls to the council about every streetlight being out on River Street (St George's Quay) make no difference so I doubt this will either!
James Waite

That's what hacks off so many of our readers... we've been complaining about the state of the Millennium Bridge for ages and nothing has been done. The fencing blocking off the seats at one end makes a mockery of a great tourist attraction but no-one seems prepared to do anything about it.
It remains to be seen whether plans to use evening parking charges to clean up our streets, announced in December 2004, will really make a difference.

CYCLING THROUGH LITTER!
20/4/05: It's spring again, so with tidying up in mind (somewhere at the back) I thought about a couple of my 'pet hate' spots.

The Cycle Path near Lancaster Railway Station

Cycle Path embankment

Cycle Path drain gully

Detritus along the Lune - who's responsibility is it to clear this asks John. Maybe it's ours?

Supermarket trolleys in the Lune. A future archaeologist's delight but our curse? All Pics: John L. Burkinshaw

Every once in a while the council cleans the cycle path from the station to the Millennium Bridge -- fine. I hate cycling on wet leaves etc in winter. It's just a shame it's not more often than once a couple of months (and I'm being generous there).

However the cleaners seem to be oblivious to all the rubbish left at the bottom of the hill near the railway embankment. 'Not my department', perhaps? Some of this may have been blown there by the wind, but the vast majority has been created by people who insist on 'camping' there. I use the term camping loosely, perhaps it should really be dossing/drinking/drug taking/having sex?

In summer you don't see it because of the leaves on the trees (two less now, by the way), but it's plainly in view at the moment. Eeuk!

Whinge No.1 over...

Next is the area near the Millennium Bridge.

Now I cannot expect the council (or whoever) to be cleaning up the river banks every week. I know a lot of the rubbish is flotsam/jetsam and will be moved on by the next high tide (if it's high enough). But the water can't move the shopping trolleys, bikes and other heavyweight items. I suppose the 'powers that be' will say it's Sainbury's responsibility and try to wash their hands of it -- probably in the muddy waters.

Couldn't we have a joint effort? Someone cleans up (local volunteers?), Sain's provide a free lunch/drinks and the scrap metal value goes to a charity? Or is this just wishful joined-up thinking.

It'll be interesting to see if there's any response.

Rant over -- I feel ready now to tackle my own Grot Spot -- my flat.

Best wishes,
John L Burkinshaw, Lancaster