I sent the following yesterday afternoon:
Dear Cllr Cox,
In August 2010 I wrote to Southend council (Cllr Flewitt) regarding sewage and mess being dumped in the seafront cycle lane by Maxims Casino. At that time I was told by Stephen Crowther (Group Manager Waste & Street Scene):
"I can inform you that I personally visited the Casino early Friday evening and met with the duty manager. I showed him the area in question and he stated that he will arrange for the area to be cleared. He also assured me that he will raise this matter with the appropriate personnel to prevent any recurrence."
Despite these assurances from Maxims Casino we continue to see waste and debris being dumped in the cycle lane outside maxims Casino on a regular basis. Please see attached photographs taken today Monday 5th December., when broken glass, food debris, and an oil slick have appeared in the cycle lane. This is due to the cycle lane being used for parking by refuse vehicles.
It is bad enough trying to pass the casino in the evenings - when taxis, mini buses, and customers illegally use the cycle lane as a lay-by - without having to contend with cycling through oil, waste food, and broken glass.
This has been going on for almost 18 months now. When are Southend Council going to take a stand and stop this happening? If this was a member of the public regularly fouling the path outside their house I have no doubt Southend Council would take swift action. Why does Maxims Casino appear to have carte blanche to leave mess in the cycle lane on an almost daily basis?
Cyclists pay the same taxes as everyone else in the Borough, as such we should be able to use provided cycle facilities without risk of damage to our cycles or injury to ourselves.
Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Sincerely,