Local people in the south of Sheffield have been left fuming as woods and hedges around Blackstock Road have become increasingly filled with fly-tipped waste.

Residents believe the problems are due to Council’s move to fortnightly bin collections and their decision to close Blackstock Road recycling centre three days a week.

Despite being the busiest recycling centre in the city, Labour councillors voted to reduce the opening hours by three days a week, while keeping a centre in their ‘favoured areas’ open seven days a week.

People are turning up during the week to drop-off their waste only to find the gates shut. As a result they are dumping rubbish in the surrounding woods, streams and under hedges around the nearby Overend Road.

A volunteer for a local wildlife group, who wished to remain anonymous, said:

“I used to love going into the woods and going around them with people visiting from other parts of the city. They used to look lovely. I feel so ashamed when they see how it is now.”

Local campaigners Richard Shaw (left) and Steve Ayris outside the Blackstock Road waste and recycling centre

Local Lib Dem campaigner for Gleadless Valley, Richard Shaw, whom local residents approached about the problems, said:

 “It was absurd of the Council to cut the opening hours like they did. Fly-tipping is a blight on our area and a direct result of Labour cutting opening times at recycling centres and waste collections.

“Labour take our area for granted; they don’t seem to care how bad it gets for Sheffielders, they just blame others for their bad choices. Local people say they feel like they live in ‘Labour’s forgotten valley’.”

Steve Ayris, local Lib Dem campaigner in neighbouring Graves Park ward said:

“The Blackstock Road recycling centre is used by residents across the south and south-west of the city, so it’s no surprise that it’s the most popular site.

“Labour’s decision to hit it with the largest reduction in hours makes no sense. Residents have been forced to queue round the block, when the centre is open, and now it’s clear that when the centre is closed, louts are simply dumping their waste.

“It’s shocking Labour are refusing to address the problem, while protecting recycling centres in their own ‘favoured areas’.”