Bin Bag Divide: One Road, Two Councils, Starkly Different Cleanliness
A striking visual divide has emerged on a major road in Great Barr, where the level of street cleanliness depends entirely on which side of the street you stand. Walsall Road, at the Scott Arms junction, is administered by two different local authorities, and the contrast in their service delivery could not be more apparent to local residents and business owners.
A Tale of Two Pavements
On the side of the road managed by Birmingham City Council, a disheartening scene unfolds. Piles of uncollected black bin bags are dumped along the pavement outside a row of shops near the junction with Queslett Road. The rubbish, which includes mounds positioned at either end of a bus stop outside a Poundland store, has been accumulating for several weeks, creating what locals describe as an eyesore.
In stark contrast, the opposite side of Walsall Road, which falls under the jurisdiction of Sandwell Council, presents a completely different picture. The area around the Scott Arms is notably clean and tidy, with no visible waste marring the pavement. This immediate juxtaposition has left those on the Birmingham side feeling frustrated and neglected by their local authority.
Frustrated Traders Speak Out
Local shopkeepers, whose businesses are directly impacted by the unsightly piles, have voiced their dismay and called for urgent action. The Birmingham-side stretch hosts a variety of outlets including estate agents, takeaways, banks, beauty parlours, and a mix of chain and independent stores, often with flats above.
Jabr Mohammed, from the Top Vape shop, expressed a common sentiment, stating, "Nobody has been taking the rubbish for two or three weeks maybe. Everyone just puts the rubbish over there and it's so dirty. I put my rubbish in my private bin, it looks horrible. See over there in Sandwell, it's clean and not here."
Claire Moore, from Uniform Plus, labelled the heap outside her window as "absolutely disgusting," adding that fly-tipping occurs behind her shop and collections are consistently late. "This pile has been here going on two weeks. Opposite in Sandwell, it looks nice and tidy. I reckon people are coming at night and dumping. It's disheartening because we are trying to be very appealing but it's not," she said.
Other traders, including Jatin Kang from Abhi Meat Centre and Rana Dhaliwal from Drinks Cabinet, echoed these concerns, noting that customers frequently comment on the poor appearance and that the situation has deteriorated from a previously cleaner standard.
Broader Context of Service Disruption
The issue on Walsall Road occurs against a backdrop of ongoing industrial action affecting Birmingham's waste services. As recently as late January 2026, dozens of striking bin workers participated in city-wide 'megapicket' lines, signalling that disruptions to rubbish collections are set to continue. Birmingham City Council has been approached for comment regarding the specific situation on Walsall Road.
This localised problem on a boundary road powerfully illustrates how disparities in council service provision, resource allocation, or industrial relations can create visible and impactful inequalities for communities living and working side by side.
