BUSINESSES on a road plagued by litter have been fined for not keeping Britain tidy.
In January, we revealed that residents around Wokingham Road had been signing a petition organised by Park ward Green party campaigner Sarah Magon, calling for action over the overflowing trade waste bins on Wokingham Road.
The parade of shops include several grocers and fast food restaurants, each of which has to make arrangements for the removal of its trade waste. There are also residential flats above the stores.
Last week, during strong winds, litter was seen on the other side of the road, close to Alfred Sutton primary school.
Speaking to Reading Today in January, Ms Magon said: “At the Wokingham Road shopping area opposite Alfred Sutton primary school, waste is out of control. Often trade waste bins are overflowing and spill out onto the road and pavement.
“The council’s bag collection system isn’t working well so waste from the flats above the shops piles up around the bins, and the area around the pedestrian crossing opposite Crescent Road is chaotic.
“We are asking the council to do more and work with us, local businesses and residents to tackle these issues.”
Part of the problem is caused by different companies being needed to collect waste as businesses arrange their own contracts.
In January, Biffa said it was collecting waste on time, and was working with Reading Borough Council to find a solution to fly-tipping.
A Reading Borough Council spokesperson told us that they would be sending enforcement teams out to ensure appropriate arrangements were in place for waste disposal.
And at a recent meeting of the council’s policy committee, on Monday, March 13, Ms Magon presented the petition saying it was an issue the council needed to keep on top of.
“We have 247 signatures on our petition which shows there is a strength of feeling in the area,” she said.
Cllr Karen Rowland (Labour, Abbey), lead councillor for environmental services, said the council had visited all the businesses to remind them of their duties, and some had been fined for bad practice.
“Each business was given time to provide evidence of their waste arrangements, to satisfy legislative requirements,” she continued. “As a result of inaction by some of these shops, seven business owners were issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN), requiring a response prior to February 17.
“One of the businesses paid their FPN but have, to date, failed to provide the required evidence of appropriate waste arrangements and therefore remain subject to escalating Enforcement action.
“The other six businesses have been referred to the Council’s Legal Services Team to progress further prosecution action.”
Council officers are now inspecting the area on a twice-weekly basis, and stickers have been placed on bins as a deterrent to those who litter.
Ms Magon raised the waste from the flats.
To tackle that, information on correct waste disposal has been provided to occupants, including in multiple languages such as Romanian, Polish and Nepalese, to ensure residents are aware of waste disposal procedures.
Cllr Rowland added overflowing bins were also an issue along Oxford Road and other retail areas.
