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| Chaos in Birmingham as residents swarm to mobile waste collection | Chaos in Birmingham as residents swarm to mobile waste collection |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| One officer called in to monitor the collection said it was a waste of police resources | One officer called in to monitor the collection said it was a waste of police resources |
| A mobile refuse collection service descended into chaos as Birmingham residents attempted to dispose of their ever-growing waste amid bin strikes. | A mobile refuse collection service descended into chaos as Birmingham residents attempted to dispose of their ever-growing waste amid bin strikes. |
| The collection lorry was swarmed by so many people as it attempted to travel along Anderton Park Road, in Moseley, that a local councillor decided to call police. | The collection lorry was swarmed by so many people as it attempted to travel along Anderton Park Road, in Moseley, that a local councillor decided to call police. |
| Residents from surrounding neighbourhoods scrambled towards the lorry as the city continues to be plagued by piles of rubbish due to industrial action by refuse workers. | Residents from surrounding neighbourhoods scrambled towards the lorry as the city continues to be plagued by piles of rubbish due to industrial action by refuse workers. |
| West Midlands Police said it was called to reports of people dumping rubbish in the road and officers continued to liaise with the local authority. | West Midlands Police said it was called to reports of people dumping rubbish in the road and officers continued to liaise with the local authority. |
| An officer at the scene told the BBC it was a waste of police resources, but said he understood people's anger as they had to live in the area. | An officer at the scene told the BBC it was a waste of police resources, but said he understood people's anger as they had to live in the area. |
| Residents who dumped rubbish on the street were told they would be fined but some said they were willing to pay it as they were so desperate to get rid of their waste, the officer added. | |
| Residents overwhelmed the bin collection team as they tried to hand over the rubbish | Residents overwhelmed the bin collection team as they tried to hand over the rubbish |
| "We have a duty to keep people safe and ensure the road is clear and safe to use," the force said. | "We have a duty to keep people safe and ensure the road is clear and safe to use," the force said. |
| The mobile service, which was scheduled to take place until 13:00 GMT, had to be called off two hours ahead of schedule as the lorry had reached capacity and safety concerns had been raised. | The mobile service, which was scheduled to take place until 13:00 GMT, had to be called off two hours ahead of schedule as the lorry had reached capacity and safety concerns had been raised. |
| One resident who lived on Anderton Park Road said the service had caused "a commotion". | |
| "People who aren't residents are parking up and leaving rubbish outside of my house. It was very noisy with people honking, it wouldn't be a problem if they were doing it in a decent way, but the people who came here didn't care," Hafeeza told the BBC. | "People who aren't residents are parking up and leaving rubbish outside of my house. It was very noisy with people honking, it wouldn't be a problem if they were doing it in a decent way, but the people who came here didn't care," Hafeeza told the BBC. |
| "Of course there is a bin crisis but people were bringing garden waste." | "Of course there is a bin crisis but people were bringing garden waste." |
| Traffic concerns | |
| The Liberal Democrat councillor for Moseley ward, Izzy Knowles, said: "We knew it was going to be busy." | |
| She said the team agreed to put extra wagons on but it was so busy it became dangerous. | |
| "People were stopping in the middle of the road to unload their bags," she said. | |
| "People were going to the wagons to put the rubbish in themselves, which you shouldn't do, and emptying wheelie bins in the road." | |
| Police arrived to deal with traffic management and the decision was taken to suspend the service early for bags to be cleared that had been left in the road. | |
| "That's very regretful but somebody was going to get hurt," she said. | |
| Ms Knowles said there was a traffic island at the spot and people were walking across the road with wheelie bins while traffic was trying to manoeuvre around them. | |
| "It was very difficult to manage," she said. "I think the police made the right decision." | |
| People gathered to try and help collection staff dispose of the accumulating waste | People gathered to try and help collection staff dispose of the accumulating waste |
| The Moseley ward's Labour councillor, Kerry Jenkins, said the mobile service was introduced a couple of years ago to help residents get rid of bulky waste as well as furniture and electricals. | |
| Originally, it also took recycling. | |
| She said the service, which is scheduled months in advance, was not for household waste but she understood why people had brought theirs. | |
| "A lot of residents are having waste piling up and so I can understand that but that's not what this service is about," she said. | |
| Unite union members began on-off strikes in January, but just over a week ago moved to all-out action in a dispute over pay and working conditions. | Unite union members began on-off strikes in January, but just over a week ago moved to all-out action in a dispute over pay and working conditions. |
| It centres on what Unite said was the downgrading of a health and safety role, which it said would cost affected staff £8,000 a year. | It centres on what Unite said was the downgrading of a health and safety role, which it said would cost affected staff £8,000 a year. |
| The city council disputes the sum quoted by the union and the numbers of staff affected, adding that it had offered alternatives including promotion to driver roles. | The city council disputes the sum quoted by the union and the numbers of staff affected, adding that it had offered alternatives including promotion to driver roles. |
| Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. | Follow BBC Birmingham on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram. |