Hundreds react to council's 'laughable' idea that people can take rubbish to sites on their bike

Hundreds have reacted to the council advising residents to take their rubbish to drop-off sites on bikes if they don't have a car.

It comes after those who didn't have access to transport were concerned about how they would dispose of their rubbish during the bin strikes - which have now been extended until March.

During an interview on Thursday, a Coventry City Council employee said that the facilities were accessible by bike when asked about these concerns.

Read the latest Coventry news here

Andrew Walster, director of Streetscene, told CoventryLive: "We concentrated on Tuesday on everyone who's on our assisted collection list in the city.

"We tried to get to everyone on Tuesday with those along with people who live in flats and those sorts of properties.

"We'll be doing some extra work with some of the more vulnerable people in the city over the next week or so to help with that as well.

"You can also access all of these sites on foot or by bike if you live nearby."

Over 500 people commented on the story on our Facebook page with many questioning whether what was said was a joke.

Sat Iuqiddis commented: "Why don’t the council get their vans to pick up the rubbish from people who don’t have cars? End of the day the residents have already paid for this service!!"

Helen Tracy said: "Really? By bike?? Jeez!!," while Lyn Till added: "They having a f****** laugh!!!"

Jason Arnold added: "How do you ride a bike and hold rubbish bags at same time. Cause that is safe."

Lesley Judkins responded: "This is laughable."

Chaos on Coventry streets as bin strikes start

View gallery

Heather Mayne added: "I have no car, I have no bike and I have a physical disability and is WAY too far to walk with rubbish."

Coventry City Council leader George Duggins says he "will ask someone else to assist" him if he can't get to the sites and advises others to do the same as "that's the point".

Mr Duggins told CoventryLive on Friday: "Obviously I'm in the same position because I don't have a car. I'm in the same position about that, what we've said so far is people need to try to work together to find a solution to that, but I do understand that that is a real issue.

"To be perfectly honest I am in a position where I'm not at the point where I need to go to the bin, but what I will do is bag it up and walk it up to the site near me, or I will ask someone else to assist, that's the point.

"This is early days. We are hoping this is a short-term solution, rather than a long-term solution, so as I say, this initiative is at the moment, it's a moving picture, and we will take on board problems that people have.

"We have got to find the solution, the Conservative group are a bit of one trick pony, one trick ponies don't tend to be flexible or offer very much."

Normal bin collection was meant to resume week beginning January 17 but has been extended until January 28, as well as further dates in February and March.

The latest strike dates are:

January 18, 21, 26 and 28
February 2, 4, 9, 11, 12, 13, 14, 16, 18, 23 and 25
March 2, 5, 9, 11, 16, 19 and 23

There are currently six rubbish drop-off sites in Coventry where people can drop off their waste while bin collections are suspended, which more than 35,000 people have used since the first day they opened on Wednesday, December 29.