NEWS that wheelie bins are on their way to Malvern has split opinion among Malvern Gazette readers.

As we revealed last week, fortnightly wheelie bin collections for recycling will be introduced across the Malvern Hills district from next spring.

This comes after Malvern Hills District Council received £1.67 million government funding to help safeguard its waste collection services.

A condition of the funding is that weekly waste collections are maintained for at least five years. This will see weekly black bag collections for non-recyclable waste continue unchanged.

Commenting online at malverngazette.co.uk, some readers believe the change will be good for Malvern.

“bobs68” said: “Having lived in areas that have had wheelie bins, it is about time. Malvern has moved into the 21st century.

“There is nothing worse whilst out walking to find torn open refuse bags along the footpath or to find someone else’s rubbish in your front garden.

Please now let us get the black ones into wheelies.”

And “Tobster” said: “Absolutely about time.

Running out of places to put bags where cats, rats and foxes can’t get to them. The argument you can lift and walk with 30kg of bags, but can’t exert the force required to manoeuvre a wheelie bin is frankly absurd.”

But others believe they will cause difficulties for many residents.

“Casmal” said: “Some of us are not as fit as we used to be. Carrying a sack – or sacks is more lightweight and much easier than pushing a large and heavy wheelie bin and negotiating gates, grass, gravel, etc.

“I am very lucky that I live on the flat side of our street. I pity the residents who live on the other side, most of whom have steep drives.”

And “Dipti Leinum”

said: “I am very stressed to learn we will be asked to use wheelie bins from spring 2013.

“This will make my life very difficult as it would be hard for me to push the wheelie bin on to the road for collection as my drive is made up of gravel.

“It would be difficult to push and pull the bin on gravel.”

􀁥 To join the debate, go to malverngazette.co.uk