Drumchapel rat problems cause fear for parents

Furious families have warned back courts are a “disgrace” becoming “overrun” with rats and litter.

Worried tenants in the area’s Kinfauns Drive have demanded action as the number of vermin sightings begins to “rise and rise” as, they claim, the amount of rubbish increases due to families spending more time at home amid coronavirus restrictions.

Mess around the bin area in the back court area of flats on Kinfauns Drive, Drumchapel... Photograph by Colin Mearns.27 January 2021.For Glasgow Times, see story by Maxine McArthur..

It comes after a binman was attacked by a rat on the street last weekend while carrying out his duties.

As previously reported, the man was rushed to hospital were he received a tetanus injection to protect against disease.

Now, residents are speaking out as they fear for the safety of children playing outside.

READ MORE: Glasgow binman sent to hospital after rat attack in Drumchapel

Mum-of-two Ashleigh Kennedy said she has spotted around 12 of the creatures in her communal garden in the past few months.

The 30-year-old, whose youngest daughter has a congenital heart defect, said: “We can’t get them out to play because we keep finding rats.

“We’ve netting up but they keep getting in. If they’ve scratched a binman, what will they do to the kids?

“We’ve had Environmental Health out but nothing seems to keep them away.”

Glasgow City Council previously said data shows the number of sightings this year is down on last year.

However, residents insist it is a problem.

An elderly tenant, who asked not to be named, said he fears entering the bin sheds at night in case he accidentally runs into one of the creatures.

The area’s Councillor Paul Carey said: “As the local councillor, I am shocked at what has happened to this council employee and my first concern is the health and safety of our employees and my constituents.

“It is quite clear the factor of these properties also has a responsibility to deal with this.

“However, I would like to see the council bring back the back court teams to deal with the bin sheds.”

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A council spokesman said: "Our figures on requests for pest control support do show a reduction between January 2020 and January 2021 as well as a decline in requests from the usual seasonal peak over the summer months.

"People are fully entitled to take a pest control service from other providers, which we would have no knowledge of. We are not aware of any reliable way to quantify the rat population.

Rats spotted in Kinfauns Drive

"While our responsibility is empty to household bins, the condition and maintenance of bin courts is entirely a matter for owners, factors or residents.

"In our experience, the best way to deal with an infestation of rats in the long term is to ensure a bin court and other back court areas are kept in order.

"Treatments can be ineffective if owners, factors or residents do not deal with the underlying problem of making a source of food routinely available for vermin.”