New Town group says weekend bin plans are rubbish

New Town resident James Stewart-Taylor

As part of a shake-up of refuse collections in the World Heritage Site, household waste pick-ups are being moved from daytimes during weekdays.

The council said the pilot initiative was part of a series of changes set to modernise the service in the area.

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But one local residents' group said the move would cause unnecessary disruption, especially as residents can be fined for leaving their bins out on the wrong day.

James Stewart-Taylor, a garden designer who chairs the Dublin Mews Residents' Association, said the plan was "daft".

The 62-year-old, who lives in nearby Nelson Place, said: "Who's going to work on Saturday evenings without getting well paid for it? It just seems like a complete waste of money.

"Doing something like this on a Saturday is going to cause huge inconvenience for people who are away for the weekend and it will play havoc with parking in the area."

The council said the new waste collection trials were the result of a public consultation, which took place in January, looking at how to modernise the service.

Other measures include the introduction of "gull proof" bin bags and a food waste recycling service.

Evening collections are being extended to around 20,000 households in the Old Town, New Town and parts of Leith, with a range of collection methods being trialled across every night of the week.

According to the council, studies into existing evening collections have shown a significant reduction in the amount of split bin bags, with a reduction in seagull and vermin attacks on waste awaiting collection.

Councillor Robert Aldridge, the city's environmental leader, said: "The evening collections are part of the new waste collection trials for the World Heritage Site.

"Before the trials started the council went out and consulted with local residents, most of whom were supportive.

After the pilot has been completed, we will seek feedback from all the residents and will take their views into account when carrying out our evaluation."