Thanet council will be changing its litter-picking schedule from next Friday (April 27) so that teams make rounds at hotspot areas twice a day at the weekends.
The news follows a high volume of complaints last weekend from across the isle about overflowing bins and litter-strewn streets.
Photos posted to social media included those of shocking mess at Viking Bay, Botany Bay, Dane Valley and Ramsgate’s Undercliff. Some residents have highlighted the need for more bins, including along Ramsgate Main Sands and the Undercliffe as well as Margate.
Residents and visitors were really let down by @ThanetCouncil this weekend. Every bin between Turner Contemporary and Nayland Rock was left overflowing. Our beautiful seafront is our greatest asset. So many visitors leaving with a terrible view of Margate #lovemargate pic.twitter.com/FQLAAlwHGE
— Love Margate (@LoveMargate) April 22, 2018
One resident said: “I do not think there are enough bins and there should definitely be bins on the beaches. Thanet council should have their litter police on the beaches, it would generate a lot of income. They could use community payback to get them cleared, then they wouldn’t even have to pay.
“People just don’t realise the impact their rubbish has on the beach and in the sea but if they got fined they would learn quickly enough.”
A Thanet council spokesman said there are more than 400 bins across the district – around every 200 feet.
52 x large 1100L public bins
240 x street and dog bins
120 park dog bins
The added a team was out at 6am today (April 23) dealing with mess on the beaches and emptying bins.
They said: “Our street-cleansing team works hard all year round to keep the beaches in pristine condition for both residents and visitors. It is always disappointing to see our coastline not given the respect it deserves. The team was out at six this morning clearing litter from the beach and emptying bins.
“We are improving our litter picking schedule and will be making changes this year so that crews are out twice a day on the weekends – early morning and late afternoon until 7pm, emptying bins along the prom and high footfall areas to try and mitigate against the volume of litter in the bins and on our beaches. This change starts on Friday 27 April.”
Cleaning and litter collections from beaches, proms and streets costs Thanet District Council £1.9m per year. Last year council staff collected over 5,642 tonnes of rubbish.
