Traffic warden Nick Skender is fed up with the broken glass, rubbish and syringes near where he works in Spearwood.
Camera IconTraffic warden Nick Skender is fed up with the broken glass, rubbish and syringes near where he works in Spearwood. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Spearwood traffic warden hits out over broken glass, rubbish and syringes on Barrington Street

Belinda CiprianoCockburn Gazette

FED up with overgrown bushland, broken glass, rubbish and syringes, school traffic warden Nick Skender has taken matters into his own hands.

Mr Skender, who has helped students cross the intersection of Marvell Avenue and Barrington Street in Spearwood for five years, said he was annoyed he had to clean up the area that had become a dumping zone.

The jovial and well-known warden said he had gone to the City of Cockburn council reception to complain twice in recent weeks but was told he would have to wait six weeks before it would be cleared.

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“I’ve cleaned it myself before but I won’t do it anymore,” Mr Skender said.

“I’ve complained twice and they said that in six weeks someone would come and cut the grass and pick up this mess but I can’t wait six weeks.”

Mr Skender said he hoped the busy intersection, which he labelled “disgusting”, would be cleared immediately, saying it was just a matter of time before someone could get hurt.

“I want someone to come and cut the grass, pick this up and clear it,” he said.

“I have children cross this street, mums with prams, mums with two or three kids and it just takes one of them to trip over and hurt themselves – it’s very, very dangerous.

“I’m also busy and it’s impossible to watch everything.”

“Sometimes I’ve even stepped back onto the path and have almost tripped on the bottles, it’s unbelievable.

“This is Australia, you’d think we could keep things clean and nice – it looks disgusting.”

Cockburn engineering and works director Charles Sullivan said the City had received two customer requests to mow and clean up the area and assessed the site on October 26, putting it on the unkempt mowing program.

However it was unaware of the syringe complaint.

“There were no complaints of syringes reported in the City’s system, which we believe was an error and the City is investigating this process to prevent this from occurring in the future,” Mr Sullivan said.

He added while the City did not constantly patrol street verges for litter he urged residents to maintain verges near their properties and notify them if they saw anything, including syringes.

“The City does not constantly patrol street verges but the City has a verge litter team that responds to notifications from residents about illegal dumping,” he said.

“The City encourages all residential and commercial property owners to maintain the verge adjacent to their properties to ensure it reflects their values and comprehension to the impact it has on their property aesthetic.

“In the instance that syringes are found, an officer will be dispatched immediately to the site.”

The City’s Parks and Environment manager has requested the area to be cleaned up as soon as possible.

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