Old Town groups back rollout of wheelie bins

RESIDENTS’ groups in the Old Town have welcomed the council’s decision to introduce giant wheelie bins in selected streets.

Community leaders across both the Old and New Towns had previously opposed the bins when they were brought in for a 16-week trial last year. But Bill Cowan of the Old Town Residents’ Association said the council’s plans for a limited number of streets in Holyrood and off the Royal Mile, was "acceptable".

A containerisation programme is to be rolled out in more than ten streets in the Old Town, including Drummond Street, Infirmary Street and St John Street following a council decision earlier this week.

Mr Cowan said: "Giant bins are appropriate in some areas, but highly inappropriate in others. The areas the council has decided on are not too bad at all.

"They sound like better candidates because they’re not thoroughfares."

Residents in some streets within the World Heritage Site were protected from containerisation when the city environment leaders deemed them unsuitable.