Volunteers unable to clear grot spot
AN offer by volunteers to clean up rubbish next to a railway bridge has had to be turned down.
Spalding resident Adam McVeigh had offered to take a team of youngsters from the Wygate Park area of town to the site between St John’s Road and Green Lane and asked for South Holland District Council to provide vans to take the rubbish away.
But Coun Roger Gambba-Jones, who has vowed to get the area cleared, has said he is unable to accept the kind offer because the land is owned by Network Rail and any volunteers could be trespassing if they were to go on there to pick up the abandoned settees and piles of cans which make the area an eyesore.
Mr McVeigh made the offer and challenged Coun Gambba-Jones to support his efforts after the Lincolnshire Free Press carried the story on Tuesday of Green Lane resident Jon Coupland, who claimed the rubbish had been there for more than two years despite numerous pleas to the council to clear it up.
Coun Gambba-Jones explained that the council has been unable to do so because it is land owned by Network Rail and vowed to “explore all avenues” to force the company to take action.
He said: “If this rubbish was on public land I would be out there with Mr McVeigh and his volunteers to clean it up, but it is on land next to a live railway and it is unlikely Network Rail would give permission for untrained people to go on there because of health and safety issues.
“It is a real shame, but I am not in a position to be able to take up the offer as I would be encouraging them to trespass.”
Mr McVeigh said he was “disappointed” as he had a team who wanted to “get stuck in” to help their community, claiming Coun Gambba-Jones could do more to get permission for a clean-up.
He said: “It is the residents who are suffering and there is nothing stopping him contacting Network Rail if he really wanted it cleaned up, but he has taken the option of dragging it out.”
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Friday 25 May 2012
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Comments
There are 5 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Akaleesh
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 01:53 PMWell if they dont play by the rules then sort em out. I dont remember ever stating that I condone this behaviour by anyone. I just keep stating that not all the 'immigrants' are like this and that some of the English people in Spalding are also to blame
HollygoLula
Monday, January 30, 2012 at 11:46 AMIts about time that the parking enforcement officers in Spalding also started walking a bit further and looked to give fixed pens for litter dropping. Tell them to go to the bridge on St Johns Rd at around 5pm and they'll find the usual bunch of non locals drinking imported beer, and no Akaleesh, they dont take their empty cans with them!!
spaldonian
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 11:09 PMhealth and safety has a lot to answer for. how on earth did we ever cope before health and safety got in on the act and stopped us from doing any task? It is just ridiculous - stop the claim culture. I applaud Mr McVeigh for his offer but agree with ysandy - get those doing community service to tidy it up. All it would need is sensible adults guarding the area close to the line so no one ventures that wat. It's not rocket science. I have been over that bridge many times and it is disgusting to see the litter. Also, at the top of St Johns Road on the land near the hoarding, there is another rubbish tip that seems to attract discarded food, beer cans, nappies, etc. It's a haven for rats - again that is Network Rail land but nothing has been done about that for many years - I have contacted them numerous times about it but they cant seem to comprehend where I mean - perhaps they should send someone down to look. The whole area at the top of St Johns RoadWinsover Road junction on the railway side is a complete mess. Not a welcoming sight . Network Rail should be ashamed.
bertie65
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 11:14 AMif you people arae not satisfide with mr gambba joneses actions then you know what to do at the next elections dont you, get rid and promote someone who will carry out the publics wishes
ysandy
Sunday, January 29, 2012 at 10:31 AMUnlikely network rail would give permission, ER Sorry you don't ask you don't know, And any way why should Mr McVeigh and youngsters clean it up, what about all these court cases doing 100 hours or more UNPAID WORK get them to CLEAN it up, Council and net work rail want to get on with it.
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