Another heatwave weekend has left Liverpool's parks and public spaces covered in litter, food, barbecues, and other rubbish, sparking outrage among residents and calls for stronger action from the city council.
Newsham Park Left in 'Horrendous' State
On Monday morning, Newsham Park presented grim scenes of widespread rubbish dumping, including trash scattered around a children's play area. Local councillor Steve Radford, who documented the mess, told the ECHO: "I was absolutely furious to see this. The worst thing is not only that the park is trashed but the play area as well, which could be dangerous for kids playing."
Radford added: "We raised this as an issue last week with the council, we have been asking where are the enforcement officers? The park is totally trashed. I went there first thing this morning and it looks horrendous. Litter in the play area itself, that's not safe for kids running around." He emphasised the need for enforcement in local communities and parks, not just the city centre, describing the scene as "a bomb site" that is "actually unsafe, particularly for children."
Similar scenes occurred the previous weekend, and Radford questioned when the council would start reacting. A local resident sent in images of the mess with the caption "Disrespect."
Ongoing Issues at Otterspool and Garden Festival Sites
Residents continue to report problems at the popular Otterspool and Garden Festival sites in south Liverpool, where the ongoing use of barbecues is causing continued concern. The Friends of Sefton Park have also highlighted the battle against rising rubbish and careless dumping after good weather.
Residents Express Frustration
In comments on the ECHO's coverage, residents voiced strong opinions. Magdalene Gallagher said: "It's filthy people. I used to litter pick in Newsham Park and it was spotless when we left, you wouldn't believe what people left behind. Why have they no pride in their city?" Jean Moss Joslin added: "How can they walk away and leave that mess? It makes you wonder what their homes are like."
Some called for more action from authorities. Harpsarps commented: "People should take their rubbish home. You don't see it when you go abroad. Why are our beaches, parks and cities so dirty? There should be more bins with council workers emptying them regularly and [the authorities] should fine litter louts so eventually people will realise not to do it." ChangeName noted: "These things happen when hundreds of people gather in open spaces in the sunshine. The difference is that in Spain or Portugal the street cleaners are out at midnight and there is nothing to see by 2am."
Others stressed personal responsibility. Myomi said: "It’s the people who litter who are to blame. Don’t blame the council, why can’t these people take responsibility for their own anti-social behaviour?" Another added: "Why do you need street cleaners to sort it out? It's simple, take all your rubbish home with you. Show some respect for the area you are visiting."
Council Response: Investment and Enforcement
A Liverpool City Council spokesperson responded: “Liverpool is home to more than 100 parks and greenspaces, enjoyed by thousands of residents and visitors every day. Our cleansing teams work extremely hard to keep these spaces clean, and we have hundreds of public bins across the city which are emptied regularly.”
“Despite this, we continue to see litter and large amounts of rubbish being left behind by a minority of irresponsible individuals. In the past six months, we have invested in 86 new jobs across our street care services to maintain high standards across Liverpool including our greenspaces, but litter and excess rubbish should never be left on our streets in the first place.”
The spokesperson urged everyone to take responsibility for their own waste and respect shared spaces, adding: “If a bin is full or there isn’t one nearby, people must take their waste home. Our enforcement officers regularly patrol our parks and greenspaces and spend a great deal of time educating the public about environmental offences and the harm they cause to our wildlife and other visitors. Anyone found littering or fly‑tipping may be issued with a fixed penalty notice.”
