When Mir Hassan bought his flat on Belsyde Avenue in December, he expected the usual teething troubles of a new home. He did not expect to spend the next five months chasing Glasgow City Council about bins.

"I've been asking about having this problem resolved for months," he told the Clydebank Post. "We don't have enough bins for people to put their rubbish in."

In April, the street's only public waste bin was set on fire, leaving Belsyde Avenue without any provision at all for a time. The council has since replaced the damaged bin and installed two more, but Mr Hassan says residents were originally promised three additional bins on top of the original.

"The bin provision is still inadequate for the number of people who live here, and the issues of overflowing rubbish, littering, and fly-tipping persist," he said. "There has been no update on any investigation into the bin being set on fire, and no information has been provided on when the third bin will be installed. Residents are growing increasingly frustrated and fed up."

A street that has seen the problem grow

James O'Connell has lived in the area for more than 35 years. He says the rubbish problem became noticeably worse during the Covid pandemic and has never quite recovered.

"It's only really been as bad as this from the Covid pandemic because no one was coming out and taking the rubbish away," he said.

He would like to see preventative measures alongside extra collections — particularly signage and CCTV.

"We need some enforcement, maybe CCTV cameras, as that would be good for tackling the littering and fly-tipping while also helping with safety," he said. "More signage to say no fly-tipping and no dog fouling — that's another problem we have. Some people are bagging it, but some of them aren't. Even the ones who are bagging it are dumping it on the street."

Photographs taken on Belsyde Avenue last month show poo bags stashed behind an electricity box, household waste strewn along the kerb, and a trail of spilled white paint running from pavement onto the road.

Health concerns and a call for a timeline

Mr Hassan said the cumulative effect was beginning to worry residents about more than just appearances.

"I'm worried that it will attract rats because there is so much rubbish lying about," he said. "It's generally very unpleasant and also raises concerns not only about the cleanliness of the area but also about public health and safety."

He is asking the council to commit to a "concrete timeline" for the promised third bin and to take "stronger action" against fly-tipping.

The council's response

A Glasgow City Council spokesperson said the Street Scene service had assessed the location after a request for additional bins.

"The damaged bin has been replaced, and two more bins have been installed, with their locations adjusted slightly to ensure a suitable spread of bin availability," the spokesperson said. "How quickly the bins are filled will be monitored, and bin schedules can be adjusted if required."

The spokesperson added that the most recent fly-tipping had been "dealt with appropriately" and urged residents to report further incidents through the council website or the MyGlasgow app, and to contact police about associated antisocial behaviour.

For the residents of Belsyde Avenue, the test will be whether that monitoring translates into a cleaner street — and a firm date for the bin they are still waiting on.