A Linslade man is calling for action after branding his street a rubbish-strewn ghetto that has been forgotten by the authorities.
The vulnerable resident, who lives in Vimy Road but who doesn’t want to be named, claims that drugs paraphernalia, condoms, rubbish and broken glass litter the area. Play equipment has been vandalised, trees have been chopped down and public areas used as a public toilet.
In the latest incident a set of steps that lead from the area towards the Riverside Meadows have been dug up making them too dangerous to use.
“There’s always been a problem with litter and drugs but not to the extent that it is now,” he said.
“It’s like a ghetto, a no-go zone, around here. No-one comes to tidy the place up. It’s like we’ve been forgotten about by the authorities and the place has been turned into a dump.
“I’ve reported the steps because they’re dangerous but no-one wants to know. They’re unsafe and an accident waiting to happen, particularly if someone uses them at night. It’s a popular route for dog-walkers.
“Youths have dug holes and attacked some of the steps, taking away complete pieces of wood. In the play area equipment has been vandalised and not repaired and this week they cut the grass in there but not between the different pieces of play equipment.
“In the nearby Riverside Meadows there are parts where the grass hasn’t been cut. We had two attacks on women in there and a lot of women feel unsafe walking through there because the grass is so high in places that they can’t see over the grass and they can’t be seen.”
Lisa Jarvis, senior operations and administration manager for Leighton-Linslade Town Council immediately visited the area with members of The Greensand Trust, who manage the meadows, to see the damage for herself. Afterwards she said that the trust had dismantled one den in the Ousel Meadows which had contained “a lot of needles”.
The grass in the area would be cut more frequently, an additional doggie poo bin will be provided near the children’s play area and land surrounding it would be adopted as an amenity area.
“The steps have been vandalised but they are not so dangerous that they need immediate attention,” she said. “It will cost about £1,000 a flight, and there are two, to replace so we will get some quotes and add it to a list of maintenance work.
“The conservation areas are only cut once a year but the reeds were getting a bit long and they will be cut back.”