Residents and traders in Hanwell say they are still battling persistent fly-tipping outside donation banks on Bordars Road, despite earlier assurances from Ealing Council that action would be taken.
Local shopkeepers told EALING.NEWS the clothing bank previously on the site was collected by the Salvation Army every weekday, but they say a newer clothes bank run by Traid is emptied only three times a week, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
One shop owner said: “We have had enough of this. The previous donation bank was collected every day during the week. This new one is collected on Monday, Wednesday and Friday which is not enough.”
Other shopkeepers who spoke to EALING.NEWS said the reduced collection schedule means bags of clothing quickly build up, and people then dump donations and other rubbish on the pavement when the bank is full. Piles of clothing can be seen strewn across the pavement beside the banks, spilling into the area where cars park and where locals walk.
They added that the mess is becoming an eyesore for the neighbourhood and a problem for locals and nearby businesses.
One trader added: “I live here as well and this is disgusting. People just dump it outside and it is causing another eyesore in the local area. We want to see CCTV in the area because the mess is getting out of hand.”
An Ealing Council spokesperson told EALING.NEWS: “The previous provider emptied the clothing banks 3-4 times per week. Currently, Traid are collecting the donated clothing 3 times a week. Full banks can be reported through the Love Clean Streets app and in response, extra collections will be made. The area is also frequently cleaned by the Greener Ealing team.
“Clothing banks are valuable for the reuse of clothing. When unsuitable items and bags are left outside, this is considered fly-tipping and creates mess. Bank designs have evolved to prevent items being removed from inside, making bulky items harder to deposit. We will add clearer signs reminding users not to leave items outside and there will be further information displayed on recycling bins as part of our fly-tipping campaign.”
EALING.NEWS has contacted Traid for comment.
