'Dog-sized rats have taken over our street, even bin collectors don't dare come'

05 September 2023 , 09:07

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Locals are being plagued by rats as big as dogs (Image: Glasgow Evening Times / SWNS)

A street has been overrun by dog-sized rats, and the infestation is so serious that it has been declared a no-go zone for refuse collectors. The giant rats live at the back of properties on Earl Street in Glasgow and are said to be as big as 'chihuahuas'.

Desperate residents are now only getting their bins emptied once every three weeks which has only added to the problem. They've been told to move their bins to the front of their homes, away from the rats.

But union bosses have insisted they cannot allow refuse collectors to work in the area more frequently, because the vermin - which one worker described as being pose a serious health risk. Chris Mitchell, GMB convenor for Glasgow's cleansing workers, said it's "only a matter of time" before a refuse collector ends up "ill" as a result of the rat infestation, so they "will not be stepping foot" in the area until the problem is resolved.

Rats in the area are said to be the 'size of chihuahuas' (stock photo) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

Chris explained: "I've been raising this issue for years and we're still waiting on something being done. Our members' health and well-being are being put at risk because the areas are now overrun by huge rats. Vermin have been known to bite and leave droppings all over the place. It's only a matter of time before someone ends up ill because of this.

"Our members rightly feel that the issue needs to be sorted out and will not be stepping foot into the rear bin areas of Earl Street until the rat infestation is properly dealt with. There is an embankment that runs along the back of the properties where the rats nest. That is what is causing the problem."

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However, the decision to avoid collecting the rubbish in Earl Street has been causing a headache for locals, as they claim they've been told to "find somewhere else" for their refuse to go once their bins are full - which is putting an excess strain on elderly people living in the area. Local resident Sam Whitehouse, 70, said they currently have their bins collected once every three weeks, and slammed the council for treating the situation as the "residents' problem".

He fumed: "We got letters through the door, and I was upset by the tone of them. The language was very confrontational and the demands were draconian, in my opinion. We didn't opt to move the bins or only have them emptied every three weeks, but now it looks like it has become the residents' problem.

Locals were told to find somewhere else to put their rubbish once their wheelie bins were full (Glasgow Evening Times / SWNS)

"The bins are lying there for anyone to use - all sorts of things are being stuffed into them by people walking past. We've now been told that if they are full, it is up to us to find somewhere else for our household rubbish to go. I'm not fit to traipse around looking for a recycling point or a half-empty bin that doesn't belong to me.

"I don't believe the onus for this should be on tenants when I pay council tax for a regular and reliable refuse collection service. We don't want rats running around, and we certainly don't want big bins the length of the front street."

Sam also said having the residents put their bins at the front of their properties is "unsightly and unhygienic", as he added: "I've seen rats out the back, and there is a big problem with them, but surely all that this is going to achieve is to attract them to the front instead. They are going to look for food wherever they can find it. I don't see how moving where the bins are situated will act as a deterrent."

Glasgow City Council, meanwhile, have said they are aware of the issues and have said pest control efforts have begun in the area. A spokesperson for the council also said that moving the bins to the front of the properties is a "temporary" measure, and defended the decision to keep refuse collectors away from the area.

They said: "We have been working with the local housing association to address this problem. Some bin courts in the area were previously in poor condition, but work has been undertaken to keep them in good order. While the bait laid down by our pest control team takes effect, bins have been stationed on the street on a temporary basis.

"We are hopeful our pest control treatments at this location are having an impact but we will continue to monitor this situation closely. Once the pest problem has been dealt with, bins can be returned to the back court area and will be fully serviced by our staff. As part of our health and safety procedures, we would not send our bin collection staff into areas of known infestation."

Zahna Eklund