High Peak residents' dismay as waste collection stopping due to ‘dangerous’ road

Mousley Bottom, the road from New Mills Central Station, is an unadopted footpath which has become so damaged by potholes the waste collection team are refusing to go down.

Resident Sharon Burgess said: “All 10 houses in Mousley Bottom have been sent a letter from Alliance Environmental Services telling us that the road is unsafe so they no longer will collect our refuse and that we need to carry it ourselves.

“This is going to be a nightmare and could possible turn a tourist nature reserve into a rat infested health hazard.”

The road in question is Public Footpath 94 which runs past New Mills Central Train station, down the hill, past the factory to where Mousley Bottom starts.

In a letter from Alliance Environmental Services sent to residents it states on Monday November, 13 the bins will be emptied for the final time. A vehicle will come and collect the bins and will provide properties with reusable sacks for recycling and a six month supply of black sacks for general rubbish.

The Waste Team business support for Alliance Environmental Services, said: “The health and safety of our staff is a priority at all times.

“The current condition of the road leading to the properties has led on a number of occasions to getting stuck in the road and sliding back down.

“In line with legislation we are able to specify the location from which we collect the bins from households and the type of receptacle from which it is collected.

“It should also be noted that we have no obligation to collect from properties on unadopted highways.”

Head of Service Commissioning for High Peak Borough Council said: “In many locations across the High Peak which experience similar challenges, we have ‘end of lane’ collection points agreed which is what is being proposed here and these work very well.”However Sharon says leaving all the rubbish by the station does not create a good advert for those using the railway station and more needs to be done.