A LOCAL resident is challenging the Maribyrnong Council to walk the main streets of Footscray with her and see how dirty the area is.

Bernadette Gray is sick of seeing dirty nappies and syringes around Nicholson Street.

She is calling for better and more frequent street cleaning, and rubbish bins in the most strategically needed locations.

“Street sweeping is all very well, but it’s the rubbish on the footpaths and in the bushes along the pedestrian walkway that is unbelievable,” Mrs Gray said.

“Right near Donald St there is almost a different coloured bush with all the rubbish in it.”

“Nicholson Street is the worst because of all the pedestrian traffic from students and shoppers,” she said.

Maribyrnong Council operations manager John Foy said the section of Nicholson St south of Donald St was serviced daily as a part of the Footscray CBD.

“Council has plans to increase the frequency of street sweeping in Nicholson St north of Donald St from monthly to twice monthly, as there is a fair amount of pedestrian traffic due to Victoria University students in the area,” he said.

Mr Foy said the community was encouraged to inform the council of litter in public areas, which council responded to immediately.

According to Maribyrnong Council, there are six rubbish bins in the Nicholson St Mall and six bins in Nicholson St south.

There appear to be no bins in Nicholson St north.

“That is a pedestrian area where we need at least a rubbish bin at the slipway at Geelong Rd,” Mrs Gray said.

“Rubbish may drop off while university is in recess. But come March, the problem will double again.”

Discarded syringes are also a problem around the area, said Mrs Gray.

She did try to call the council hotline several weeks ago when she saw a syringe, but was unsuccessful in getting through after hours.

Mr Foy said the council had an extensive syringe management program that operated 24 hours, seven days a week.

“During business hours, council employs a syringe management officer to pro-actively manage designated hot spots in public places across the municipality. In addition, council operates a 24-hour hotline (9688 0500) to respond to requests for the removal of inappropriately discarded syringes in public places after hours.”