"Do they expect the rubbish to just go away?" - Raeburn Place businesses 'let down' by council as bins overflow amid gas works

The bins are overflowing.

Several bins on the street are overflowing. Picture: Ian Georgeson.

Business owners on Raeburn Place in Stockbridge have called for more action from Edinburgh City Council as on-street rubbish bins have not been emptied for up to three weeks because of gas works in the area.

“The bins are overflowing, there are bags of rubbish on the ground and it stinks,” said local business owner John Pearson, who said that at one point there were 10 bags of rubbish on the pavement outside his shop.

“I saw a rat earlier this week, it’s just disgusting,” he said.

"Residents have to leave their rubbish somewhere."

“I understand it’s hard to access the bins but you can’t just leave rubbish for weeks and weeks, it’s a public health hazard.”

While the council has been able to empty smaller bins as usual, the large side-access bins have not been emptied for some time as the trucks necessary to do so are not able to access them due to gas works. Raeburn Place is currently closed to traffic westbound because of work by gas company SGN to replace old metal gas pipes with new plastic ones.

It was closed on February 10 and is due to reopen in early June.

There is one bin about 10 ft from Mr Pearson’s door, and another a little further down the street.

“The bins are normally emptied every couple of days, but now it’s been three weeks,” he said.

“What are they expecting, for the rubbish to just go away?

“It’s having a detrimental effect on the community, residents and businesses alike. I know several businesses have been in touch with the council trying to get it sorted out.”

Sergio Tosoratti, another business owner, has also complained of the bins outside his premises, Sergio Tosoratti Couture & Tailors.

“We don’t have any windows in the shop so we can’t get rid of the smell coming in,” he said.

“Of course the residents have to put their rubbish somewhere, so they put it on the ground around the bin, which attracts seagulls.”

Mr Tosoratti has tried to contact several people about the problem.

“I tried contacting the gas company but they said it was the council’s responsibility, not theirs,” he said.

“I asked the people who collect the bins, but they said they can’t get access to them. “Whenever I try to contact the council I get machine after machine. I don’t know what the council is doing.”

There is a bin just a few feet from Mr Tosoratti’s door.

He added: “We feel quite let down. We understand that the gas pipe needs to be replaced but it seems like nobody cares about the small businesses involved.”

A council spokesperson said: “We’re putting in a different kind of communal bin for the duration of the SGN works as we’d had some difficulty accessing side-loading ones due to the partial road closure – we apologise to any residents or local businesses who’ve been impacted by this.

“We’re working closely with SGN to make sure we can maintain the best possible service to residents in the area while they’re carrying out their works.”