Is this the worst site for fly tipping in Glasgow?

The back lane in Govanhill is filled with furniture, black bags, electrical appliances and various types of unwanted items.

It is one of several across the city including waste ground and side streets where household and commercial waste is being discarded.

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Residents said the rubbish at Kingarth Lane at Bowman Street in Govanhill has been piling up for months.

One man whose flat overlooks the eyesore site said people turn up in vans and cars to dump in the lane.

He said the community put gates up but the council said they didn’t have permission.

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The gateposts are still fixed to the wall but the man said the gates had to be removed.

The council said the lane is private, so it is not its responsibility to clear it and there is an appeal over the gates.

Another woman who lives nearby was close to tears as she said she has to walk past the depressing scene every day.

There are sofas, a fridge, beds, mattresses, prams, cots, carpets, chairs, bags of clothing burst open all along the cobbled lane between two back courts.

The Glasgow Times visited sites in the east and south of the city with GMB cleansing convenor, Chris Mitchell, to see the scale of fly-tipping in the city.

We saw two sites in the east end strewn with waste from litter to black bags, sofas and office furniture.

The council said it is supporting residents at Kingarth Lane.

In Inglis Street at Bluevale Street in Gallowgate close to the Forge Retail Park we saw dozens of paint tubs, office desks, carpets, furniture and bags of rubbish.

On waste ground at Baltic Street and Springfield Road in Dalmarnock, there were several piles of waste, including building site rubble and furniture. Tyre tracks can be seen on the grass leading onto the land.

Mr Mitchell said the cleansing does not have the resources or staff to deal with the growing waste crisis in the city.

He said: “Our members are at the coal face of cuts and politically driven decisions.

“We won’t sit back, we are fighting back and that starts with the £500 million taken from the city’s budget.”

He added: “It’s like the broken windows effect where people become accustomed to what is in front of them.

“The cuts within the service are having a detrimental effect on the decline of the city.

“All political parties need to take ownership, not fight their own agenda and get behind the city.

“You can’t cut your way out of any crisis.”

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A council spokesperson said: “There is no connection between these fly-tipping incidents and the budget pressures currently facing the council.

“Two of the locations highlighted are privately maintained property and we regularly attend to incidents at the public location on Inglis St.

“Residents linked to Kingarth Lane have been working hard to address the environmental issues on their property and we have provided them with support through our Private Lane Strategy.

“An application to install three gates on the lane is currently the subject of a planning application appeal and it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.

“We have engaged with the property holder of the open site in Dalmarnock and we have been contracted on a commercial basis to remove the illegally dumped waste.

“Fly-tipping on Inglis St has been a persistent issue and we are now taking steps to block access for vehicles to prevent further incidents.”

The council said fly-tipping reports decreased last year and said “we are meeting our obligation to remove illegally dumped waste from public property.”

The spokesperson added there is no excuse for fly-tipping and there are options available for residents.

The spokesperson added: “People have a responsibility to ensure their waste is disposed of appropriately at all times, including when that waste is handled by a third party.

“Fly-tipping is damaging to local environments and places unnecessary demands on the publicly funded services required to clear-up waste dumped in public places.

“Residents are always encouraged to see if the items they wish to throw away can be reused and various online options are available for people looking to pass on second-hand goods.

“Our household waste and recycling centres are also open seven days a week and the bulk uplift system ensures even the largest items can be removed and disposed of properly for £5 per item.

“If anyone has any information on those responsible for fly-tipping incidents they can contact our environmental health team, who can take enforcement action.”