Month: April 2016

Action on litter

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A recent meeting of the Greener, Cleaner, Safer Environment (GCSE) group discussed a number of problems relating to litter and rubbish in Kings Heath. Several ideas were reviewed that could help to reduce the amount of litter in the area.

The group covers both Moseley and Kings Heath and is supported by Birmingham City Council.

One of the problems with litter is that it comes from several sources. As a result, the group is working with different parts of the community to try to clean up our streets. Part of this effort is a Litter Strategy. The plan is to get residents and local forums involved in developing and introducing a strategy. This will involve the group making sure that residents’ groups are able to comment on the strategy.

The business community is already involved. Several local businesses have signed up to the voluntary litter agreement and more will follow. In one case, the owner of Costcutter in Institute Road, has offered to supply and empty a bin outside his shop. Although he has been told by the City Council that he can’t do this, the GCSE group is working with the city’s Fleet and Waste Management (F&WM) team to get the ban overturned.

The F&WM team is also looking at the positioning of existing City Council owned bins. The plan is to make sure they’re in the right places and, if they’re not, to reposition them.

Schools also have an important role in reducing the amount of litter and they are being approached in two ways. Councillor Straker Welds, who chaired the GCSE meeting, will write to schools in the area and ask them to get involved in the Litter Strategy. He will also ask them to involve their pupils and will offer to go to the schools with the principal operations manager of the F&WM team to talk about the litter problem.

There was also a suggestion that members of staff, such as canteen support staff and cleaners, could clear litter from school surroundings.

In one particular case, the city’s Waste Prevention team is to visit Bishop Challoner College in Institute Road to advise on what the College can do to help tackle the local litter problem. Leaflets will also be distributed to residents in the area.

Keeping pavements clear

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Obstructions on the pavements in Kings Heath High Street have been annoying residents for several years. Recently, the road safety group within the Kings Heath Forum took up the problem with local councillors and Birmingham Highways Maintenance and Management Service.

There are a number of issues covered by this subject but they all relate to one concern: whether there is enough space available for people with limited mobility, visual impairment or parents with push-chairs.

The restrictions usually have one of three causes:

  • parking on pavements
  • ‘A boards’ outside shops
  • work on pavements by the utility companies

It has been difficult to get any solid information so far but it seems that there is a standard that should be applied. In areas with few pedestrians such as the High Street near Sports Direct, there must be a 1.2 metre (almost 4 feet) width of pavement available free of obstructions. In areas with more people moving around, the minimum is 2 metres (about 6 feet 6 inches).

One of the difficulties is that there seems to be some confusion over who should be enforcing these standards. A statement from Birmingham Highways Maintenance and Management Service seems to suggest that enforcement is a matter for the Police although the highway authority can remove ‘A boards’.

However, the statement also said that local traders agreed at a meeting ‘several years ago’ to self-police the ‘A board’ problem. Since then, it has been suggested that Amey, which is the highways maintenance contractor for Birmingham, has a contractual responsibility for making sure that pavements are kept clear. This has yet to be absolutely confirmed.

The difficulty now seems to be that the traders’ agreement is being overlooked and ‘A boards’ are being positioned in such a way as to obstruct pavements. As a result, the available width of pavement is narrower than it should be.

In February the Residents’ Forum asked Birmingham Highways Maintenance and Management Service a number of questions in relation to this issue and suggested that clear guidance should be produced for local businesses.

As yet, no further information has been provided. When it is, an update will be posted.