A SILSDEN councillor’s stance on rural collections has attracted interest from across Bradford district.

Town and district councillor Adrian Naylor this month highlighted problems faced by rural residents following recent changes to bin collection policy.

He offered to take council officers on a ‘road trip’ around Silsden, Steeton, Eastburn and Addingham to give graphic examples of how farmers and other residents had been affected.

After the Keighley News highlighted Cllr Naylor’s campaign he was given evidence that the problems were common across outlying areas of Bradford.

He said: “I’ve been contacted by people from across the district who have examples of rural bins that they feel are in the wrong place or miles from where they live.

“There’s no recycling facility in some areas – they’re asking people to make a 16-mile round trip with recycled items.

“It would appear the new policy has come as a surprise to a lot of people. The council say they sent information, but a lot of people haven’t learned about it.”

Cllr Naylor said many people across the district believe the changes were introduced without research into how they would affect people living in rural areas.

Cllr Naylor claims problems have been caused by the council’s recent decision to use large 26 tonne bin wagons for outlying areas – separating normal household waste and recycling – rather than the long-standing policy of collecting everything on a flatbed lorry.

He said this was forcing people to leave wheelie bins at the roadside, where they may not be a pavement or grass verge, or at the start of an access road a long way from their homes.

In most areas of the district, the council alternates fortnightly collections of household waste and recycling.

Oxenhope Parish Council has also highlighted the problems now being faced by rural householders since Bradford changed its policy, as a result of public spending cuts.