Cross-party councillors have hailed efforts to make Bristol city centre a more pleasant place after a major drive succeeded in removing 450 commercial waste bins from the street. The council launched a project after the easing of lockdown to persuade restaurants, shops, bars and other businesses to keep bins on their own premises to stop “clutter” on pavements.
Scrutiny councillors heard how the authority’s neighbourhood enforcement bosses spent months trying to persuade reluctant firms to change their ways – some of whom “shouted and screamed” in protest. Those who still refused had their bins seized and taken to a yard, and their commercial waste contractors were charged fees to reclaim them.
Neighbourhood enforcement and street scene manager Kurt James told a council meeting that their efforts paid off, beginning with the Old City followed by two more phases – the rest of the city centre including Broadmead, Redcliffe and Temple areas, and Stapleton Road/Old Market. He told Bristol City Council communities scrutiny commission that officers were now looking at the best way to expand the scheme to the rest of Bristol, with Bedminster, Stokes Croft and Church Road expected to be next.
