A Birmingham man has issued a stark warning about a street he claims has been left in a state of constant decay, with children forced to navigate dead rodents and piles of rotting waste on their daily walk to school.
'Mountains of rubbish every day'
Derrick Rapore, a resident of Runcorn Road in Balsall Heath, says what began as occasional missed bin collections has escalated into a relentless and impossible-to-ignore problem. He describes a daily scene of overflowing bins, torn refuse sacks, and illegally dumped household waste.
"This is what we wake up to every day," Mr Rapore stated. "The photos I've shared aren't from a particularly bad day. They show normal life on this road. We're living with mountains of rubbish."
A severe public health hazard
The situation, according to Rapore, has moved far beyond being merely unsightly and now represents a serious threat to public health. He reports that the accumulating waste attracts vermin, creates potent odours, and leaves the community feeling utterly abandoned by the authorities.
"When waste is left to rot in public spaces, it sends a clear message," he argued. "It tells people that basic standards no longer apply and that no one is listening." He also pointed to fly-tipping by some residents as a behaviour exacerbating the crisis, though he stressed this does not excuse the lack of official action.
Families bear the brunt of neglect
The impact is felt most acutely by families, Mr Rapore explains. He paints a grim picture of the local environment for young people. "Kids are walking to school stepping over dead rats, broken glass and ripped rubbish bags," he said. "I've seen women pushing pushchairs into the road just to avoid the piles of waste."
Frustration is mounting among residents who see their council tax bills increasing while core services like street cleaning and reliable waste collection appear to be failing. Reports to the council, he says, typically result only in temporary clean-ups before the neglect returns.
Mr Rapore believes the issue highlights a postcode lottery in service standards. "If this was a more affluent or high-profile area, I don't believe it would be left like this," he contended. He is now speaking out in the hope that Birmingham City Council will implement a sustained solution, rather than another one-off clearance.
"No community should be expected to live alongside mounting rubbish as if it's normal," he concluded. BirminghamWorld has contacted Birmingham City Council for a response to the concerns raised.
