Residents of the Crievekeeran Road in Crossmaglen say they are relieved that their bins have finally been emptied after being neglected by the Council for the last month.
The exasperated residents contacted The Examiner last week to express their frustration that, despite several calls lodged with Newry Mourne and Down District Council from householders to advise that black bins had not been emptied, their refuse remained uncollected for the last 4 weeks.
One elderly resident told us the situation was becoming a “health hazard” with people forced to bag up their extra rubbish and leave it on the road alongside their bins. She said her husband and a number of her neighbours had contacted the Council’s refuse department on several occasions but had “got nowhere.” The woman claimed that one neighbour had been told that a refuse vehicle had broken down but she questioned how this could lead to a 4 week delay in collecting refuse from the area.
“We could accept if a vehicle broke down and the bin was collected in the next day or two, but to be left for a month? I don’t understand why another vehicle hasn’t been sent out in all this time.”
Having been advised of the situation via two emails from The Examiner last week, the bins were finally collected from the area on Friday afternoon. A Council spokesperson has apologised for the delay in services to the area.
“The Council achieves collection of waste in the vast majority of cases across the district. However, on occasions the Council can experience issues preventing refuse collection, for example blocked access or a resource issue within the Council such as a vehicle breakdown,” said the NMDDC representative.
“In these cases the Council endeavours to collect refuse as soon as possible thereafter and householders are advised to keep their bin out until it has been emptied.”