Rosemount streets being used like Derry's dump

Local people say they are fed up with busted black bags of rubbish, which they say are attracting vermin, lying in lanes.

“I’ve seen a rat,” one resident told the ‘Journal.’

“The bags are lying out in the lane and the birds and dogs are busting the bags open and the rubbish is lying across the lanes.”

Local councillor Darren O’Reilly who has been working with residents to help resolve the issues revealed that many of the homes in Rosemount which were once occupied by families are now multiple flats and leased on short term tenancies to students.

“In the summer when the students are not there the bins are left lying and can be taken by other residents,” he said.

“Then the students who do not have a bin leave their rubbish lying in the yards and the bags get busted.”

He also revealed how one of the residents had spotted an outsider driving into one of the streets and dumping rubbish in one of the lanes.

“The resident stopped the person, asked him what he was doing and told him there were people in the area that had to live with this dumping,” he said.

Colr. O’Reilly added that meetings had taken place with the university to help resolve the problem.

He also said that council officers were due to take a walk around Rosemount with himself and residents this week.

“We will be looking at the issues regarding lack of bins, dumping of rubbish, furniture and bins not being emptied by council.”

However residents who have now taken to cleaning the back lanes have called for prosecutions of those found illegally dumping in the lanes.

“I have come out and cleaned up the lane myself,” said one resident. “A few days later we are back to square one. When I first came up here it was all families.

“It’s time those responsible were prosecuted.”