'Disgusting rubbish is fans' first taste of city'

Community activist Paul Smith says the piles of rubbish are often the first taste of Birmingham visiting football fans get

It stands minutes from world-famous Villa Park, often making it the first taste of Birmingham for thousands of visiting football fans.

But Aston railway station is currently blighted by a disgusting build-up of rubbish, say locals, with campaigner Paul Smith describing the mess as a "Christmas tree of beer cans at the gateway of Birmingham".

"Fans come from all over Europe and this is the welcome they get. What impression are they getting when they go back home?," Mr Smith says.

West Midlands Railway says it is working with Network Rail, which has responsibility for the land, to clear the problem, with the city council saying there is no excuse for littering.

Residents in Aston have been expressing their disgust, after a build up of litter around their local train station.

Fans pass through the station every time Europa League squad Aston Villa play at home.

The rubbish is on either side of the platforms, and in the underpass entrance to the station.

Mr Smith says it's a persistent problem, but with more people travelling to Villa Park recently, it's become worse.

"You can't not say its fans coming through, as a lot of the rubbish is beer cans - but you know local residents as well, seeing this and probably using this area," he said.

"Football isn't on all the time, so I think its a multiple of both. But my main concern is how can this be stopped?".

'Hold onto your waste'

Councillor Majid Mahmood, cabinet member for environment and transport at Birmingham City Council, stresses that street cleaning already takes place in high footfall locations like the station.

"It is inevitable at busier times there is more litter than normal – but that is no excuse for littering," he said.

"If people have waste and discover a bin is full, they should hold on to it until they come to a bin that can accommodate their waste.

"We will look into our resourcing of the service, but people shouldn't discard their litter with no thought for our shared environment."

West Midlands Railway said dropping litter is not just anti-social and unsightly.

"It is also an offence which can lead to a fine, or even prosecution," a spokesperson said.

"With that in mind, it is disappointing to see the quantity of litter dropped at Aston station recently.

"We are working with Network Rail, which has responsibility for the land in question, to clear the rubbish as soon as possible."