Calls for Dudley Council to reverse ‘foolish’ grit bin policy
Campaigners are calling for Dudley Council to replace grit bins removed from streets in a bid to save cash.
The authority is in the process of removing around 500 bins from streets across the borough after a review of sites in May 2025.
Bins close to road gritting routes or where the council thinks they are not required are being removed. However campaigners say taking bins away, especially on steep hills, could cause problems in icy conditions.
Cllr Andrew Tromans, from Dudley’s Liberal Democrats, said: “This once again speaks to Dudley’s ruling Tory group knowing the price of everything and value of nothing.
“Weather patterns are unpredictable and who knows when we may need grit bins to make roads on a steep gradient safe to use.
“I urge the council to listen to residents and reinstate grit bins where they are needed.”
Councillor Simon Phipps, Dudley cabinet member for economy and infrastructure, said: “As part of our winter readiness preparations, we recently undertook a targeted review of grit bins across the borough to ensure resources are used efficiently and effectively.
“We found that the public weren’t using nearly a quarter of residential grit bins, and these have been removed allowing us to focus resources where they are of most benefit.
“We have never gritted residential footpaths, we have always prioritised the main road network in order to make our roads as safe and free flowing as possible when the weather turns.
“More than 700 bins remain across the network and we would encourage residents to continue to use them.
“Our gritters will continue to serve the main road network.
“Additionally, we have revised our gritting routes based on need and we have introduced some new gritting equipment which will allow better access to narrow streets and areas previously only served by grit bins, expanding our coverage and saving residents the task of gritting those roads themselves.”
Cllr Tromans and grit bin watchers Lois Bramall and David Sheppard have been out and about in the borough highlighting locations where bins have been removed.
Also, a petition calling on the council to reverse its ‘foolish’ decision to remove the bins is open on the Dudley, Stourbridge and Halesowen Liberal Democrats website.
The petition says: “We believe this is an outrageous thing to do, especially at the start of winter.
“Residents on Wolverley Avenue were shocked to discover that two of their grit bins were taken away with no consultation.”
Grit bins were debated at December’s meeting of the full council where borough leader, Cllr Patrick Harley, defended the policy of removal.
Cllr Harley said: “Some of those bins haven’t been filled in five years, the grit had been there for five years so clearly people are not using them.
“Talk about wasting money, that is just pouring money down the drain if we continue to keep them in situ.”
