Furious residents accuse council of fly tipping with dozens of rubbish bags left for 'days on end'

Susanna Siddell
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:53:49 +0000

Furious residents have accused their local council of effectively fly-tipping by failing to collect rubbish from the streets.

People living in the south east London neighbourhood of Lewisham have complained of bags of waste left by street cleaners, insisting they are routinely abandoned.

The uncollected rubbish is then ripped apart by foxes, leaving residents to deal with the aftermath.

Those affected have warned they may pursue a private prosecution against Lewisham Council if the situation is not resolved.

Some of the abandoned waste contains dog faeces and discarded needles, they say. Foxes then tear into the bags, scattering the unsightly contents across the street.

A council spokesman has since confirmed they are aware of the complaints and are addressing residents' concerns.

A spokesman for Lewisham Concil said: "Our staff avoid placing bags on Woodyates Road (in Lee) where possible and ensure that bags are not left on the street for extended periods before being collected.

"On occasion, bags may still need to be temporarily placed in the area before collection. We ask for residents' patience and understanding in these instances."

Complaints about uncollected bags first emerged in 2024, local residents said.

Resident Matthew Richards has claimed rubbish on Woodyates Road is sometimes even left "for days on end".

Local people are forced to clear up the mess themselves, he added.

The residents, now fed-up with the state of their community, have indicated they are weighing up legal action against the council.

A private prosecution remains under consideration if the problem persists.

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Mr Richards told the BBC: "It's hypocritical of (the council) to be campaigning against fly-tipping, fining people, putting up posters, and so on when they're (effectively) doing it themselves."

Meanwhile, in an ironic twist, the council has taken a tougher stance on illegal dumping.

Last year, Lewisham Council raised its maximum fly-tipping penalty from £400 to £1,000.

The authority has also regularly run poster campaigns warning against illegal waste disposal.

Enforcement officers have been since deployed to tackle the problem across the borough.

A council spokesman said: "Our staff avoid placing bags on Woodyates Road (in Lee) where possible and ensure that bags are not left on the street for extended periods before being collected."

They added that bags may occasionally need temporary placement before collection and asked for residents' patience.

Last December, it was revealed enforcement officers showed how rubbish piles created by street cleaners attract additional fly-tipping from residents and businesses.

Eiman Rostami, from the council, said: "Unfortunately, human nature, you see a big pile of rubbish bags on the side of the road, and you think 'oh, I've got some rubbish as well - I can't be bothered to take it to the dump, I'll just put it next to there'."