Dudley Council is scrambling to catch up on missed rubbish collections after an Arctic blast of freezing weather brought disruption to services across the borough.
Residents Urged to Leave Bins Kerbside
The local authority has issued advice asking residents whose bins were not emptied to leave them at the kerbside. This includes general waste bins, black boxes, and recycling bags. Crews are working through scheduled rounds for the week of January 6 while also attempting to clear the backlog from Friday, January 3 onwards.
Despite continued snow showers and treacherous, frozen roads, collection teams were out in force on Tuesday, January 6. The council has apologised for the disruption, citing the severe weather conditions as the primary cause for the missed pick-ups.
Grit Bin Decision Sparks Public Backlash
The disruption has ignited significant frustration among residents, with many taking to social media to voice their concerns. A key point of contention is the council's prior decision to remove a number of public grit bins from the area.
Commenting on the council's Facebook announcement on January 4, resident Helen Bowen criticised the cost-cutting measure. "The guys that do this do an amazing job especially in these conditions," she wrote. "The problems lie with the higher ranks of the council... who have made decisions on supposed cost cutting measures i.e. removing grit bins that now affects all of the people they are meant to serve."
In response to the criticism, Council Leader, Councillor Patrick Harley, has pledged to review the decisions to remove the grit bins and reinstate them where necessary.
Big Freeze Set to Continue
The meteorological situation offers little immediate respite. Forecasts predict the big freeze will persist throughout the week, with temperatures hovering around zero degrees Celsius.
Council gritting teams are working overnight to treat priority roads across the borough. The winter service team focuses specifically on road surface temperature and moisture levels, rather than air temperature, to determine when gritting is most effective.
Residents are advised to stay updated via the council's official website and social media channels for further service updates.
