Flats' food waste 'not collected for four months'

Residents say they have had to leave their windows shut to keep swarms of flies out of their homes

Residents of a block of flats where food waste and recycling was not collected for four months say they fear rubbish could pile up again unless a long-term solution is found.

People living in the flats on Victoria Avenue in Redfield, Bristol, blame the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood (EBLN) scheme for refuse workers' reluctance to drive bin lorries down their road.

The eastern end of the street has been blocked off with planters, meaning large vehicles accessing the site need to reverse out as there is insufficient space to turn.

Bristol Waste and Bristol City Council have apologised for the disruption and said they are working together "as a matter of urgency to find a solution".

Recycling, including food waste, was not collected from the flats between April and Wednesday of this week.

Residents say they were forced to keep their windows closed through two heatwaves due to the smell and resulting swarms of flies.

Bristol Waste sent a team of refuse workers down after the issue was reported in Bristol Live, but residents have not been told if regular waste collections have resumed.

Ben Ball said he had "flies encrusting my windows" during the last heatwave.

"The smell was atrocious - and I live on the top floor," he said.

Eva Freeman said residents had initially been told the lack of collections was down to general waste being thrown in with recycling.

"But one bin man told us it was because they couldn't get the truck up the narrow roads and that due to the type of truck they couldn't reverse properly," she added.

"But when they did get a bin lorry to come, they seemed to reverse fine."

Ms Freeman said residents fear the problem could return, as Bristol Waste has only said it is "trying to come up with a solution".

She said Bristol Waste had told residents it was considering replacing all the bins to try and get rid of the smell.

'Matter of urgency'

Bristol Waste and Bristol City Council said in a statement: "We acknowledge that this is not the level of service Bristol's residents expect, and we're working hard to rectify this as quickly as possible.

"The majority of the East Bristol Liveable Neighbourhood has seen consistent waste and recycling collections, and the nature of the trial means we're in a good position to adapt and learn from these specific issues."

The statement added: "This is a learning curve, and Bristol City Council and Bristol Waste are working together as a matter of urgency to find solutions to these problems."