Residents in a cluster of Kirkdale streets have voiced their frustration as the area becomes overrun with rats, fly-tipping, and an overgrown green space. The Liverpool ECHO visited the area to see the conditions firsthand.
Overgrown Land Poses Fire Threat
Malcolm Morrison, 65, who moved to Ruskin Street from Newcastle 15 years ago, said the overgrown land poses an ongoing threat to his home. He told the ECHO: "The greenery all needs cutting down. Especially with the hot weather, if that sets on fire, the whole place will go [up in flames]. It just takes someone to flick a cigarette butt in there. Our back garden is just next to it, if it all goes up, it's going to affect us."
Rats Attracted by Rubbish
Morrison also pointed to a McDonald's paper bag and various plastic shopping bags strewn across the green space, saying mounting rubbish has attracted unwanted guests. He stated: "These streets are full of rats at the minute. They're running everywhere. If there's food left out, that's the first thing they'll run for. There's a communal bin just over the road, and people are just dumping all the rubbish here on the grass."
Sarah Bower, 46, who also lives on Ruskin Street, has witnessed fly-tipping first-hand. She said: "I don't know where to start. We get a lot of fly-tipping, we see people pull up in vans and they will literally dump a whole truckload."
Decay of the Green Space
Maria Kirton, 50, who has lived on Ruskin Street for half her life, has seen the gradual decay of the green space in recent years. She said: "It used to be concrete and kids used to play on it, but then they decided to put nice plants on it because there had been a lot of anti-social behaviour, and then they pulled them all up, which kind of defeats the point."
Olajide Oke, 53, who moved to nearby Leighton Street a year ago, is concerned about the impact on local children. He said: "I think if that place was properly maintained, I think people living around here would let their kids play out, especially in the summer. It's a good thing for the kids mental health, it helps them develop social skills. It’s good for kids to interact, but they need the environment and conditions to be ideal. You can’t allow your kid to be going there and then they come back with rashes."
Weeds on Pavements
Maria Kirton said her most pressing issue runs all the way down the street. She said: "The council used to come round and spray all these weeds on the pavements. But, you look down now and it looks like the Amazon rainforest. I just feel like they're not doing enough to look after the area." Sarah Bower added: "There's weeds everywhere. You've got quite a lot of elderly people living here and one of them nearly tripped over a weed growing in-between the pavement."
Fire Hazard Near Bonfire Night
Alex Byrne, 37, who lives on Chrikdale Street with her three children, said: "It's absolutely diabolical around here, especially when it comes to bonfire night. They set up bonfires taller than my garden wall. That tent and that rubbish there [on the grass], that's the type of thing the kids will set fire to and just leave it. Nobody ever attends it, the council don't come and clear it, it's just left." She added: "I bought this house in 2018, and there was people who'd lived in this street for 40 to 50 years, and they were lovely and was a sense of community. Those neighbours are dying out now. It's really sad because it used to be so lovely."
Council Responds
A Liverpool City Council spokesperson said: "We understand that waste and pest issues can be highly disruptive and can have a negative impact on people’s quality of life. There is no excuse for fly-tipping. Bulky items should never be left on the street or near communal bins. People with extra household rubbish can take it to one of Liverpool’s Household Waste Recycling Centres or use our free Bulky Item collection for large items like furniture or appliances. All reported instances of fly-tipping are investigated by our enforcement team before it is cleared. Where an offender can be identified, further action will be taken."
The spokesperson added: "The communal bins are emptied every other day. We are working closely with housing providers in the area to improve waste management and have introduced more than 100 communal bins which takes domestic bag waste and recycling away from the alleyways. During 2026/27, we will soon be introducing dedicated housing units for communal bins across the city to create a more organised and permanent solution for waste storage."
Regarding green spaces, the council said: "All Council-managed green spaces are cut on a 28-day cycle. We will inspect the green space next to Ruskin Street to see whether it needs additional attention." They also noted: "As part of our investment into environmental services, we have introduced a new barrow walker to the area who helps to keep the streets clear of litter. We carried out extensive rat baiting in March to reduce the number of pests in the area and will be extending our pest control team so that we can target areas of concern on a more frequent basis. The team run a free service for people living in domestic properties who have concerns around rats. These should be reported to us so that we can investigate and take action where needed."
