If you ventured anywhere near the tip this week, you likely found yourself stuck in a queue that stretched far beyond the entrance gates. Once again, residents are facing massive delays, and the knock-on effect is causing major disruption across the entire local area.

It simply isn’t good enough. It’s inefficient, costly and potentially dangerous – with accidents waiting to happen.

Residents in Birmingham attempting to dispose of their rubbish this week have been met with gridlocked traffic, as queues for the Norris Way recycling centre spiral out of control. The severe backlog is causing chaos on Coleshill Road, with lines of traffic snaking all the way back to the Kings Arms pub, raising serious concerns about public safety and local accessibility.

This waste management crisis, exacerbated by the ongoing Birmingham bin strike and a surge in garden waste due to the summer weather, is turning the weekly tip run into a daily ordeal for motorists.

Queues cause standstill on Coleshill Road

The disruption at the Sutton Coldfield tip is no longer confined to the site itself. Witnesses report that traffic is backing out of Norris Way, spilling onto major arteries, and causing significant delays for commuters and local businesses.

“It’s becoming a daily nightmare,” said one frustrated resident. “The traffic is backing up to the Kings Arms. It’s inefficient, costly, and potentially dangerous—accidents are waiting to happen.”

Similar issues have also been reported at the Perry Barr recycling centre, suggesting a city-wide failure in waste disposal services during the current industrial action.

Garden waste problem

With summer in full swing, green waste is piling up faster than the site can process it. The on-site containers are struggling to keep up with demand as residents take advantage of the good weather. However, with no kerbside garden waste collections taking place due to the strike, the tips have become the only outlet, overwhelming capacity.

Adding to the mayhem is a lack of adherence to the booking system. Staff are reportedly turning away vehicles without appointments, but these rejected cars remain in the queue, adding to the gridlock and wasting fuel.

‘Root cause is bin strike’

Local officials are now stepping in, calling for urgent action from the new Birmingham City Council administration and waste contractor Veolia.

Reddicap ward councillor, David Pears, spoke out about the “unsustainable” situation on his Facebook page. He stated:

“The queues we are seeing are completely unsustainable. It’s not just an inconvenience—it’s bringing our local roads to a standstill, affecting businesses, bus routes, and emergency vehicle access. While we are pressing council officers for answers, the root cause is clear. This seemingly never-ending bin strike is crippling our waste services. The new administration at Birmingham City Council must make resolving this strike their absolute number one priority. Our communities cannot afford to wait any longer.”

Impact on business and emergency services

The traffic disruption is having a domino effect across the area. Local business owners are reporting reduced footfall as customers avoid the area, while bus passengers face significant delays due to diverted routes.

Most critically, there are growing fears that the stationary traffic will block access for emergency services. With roads at a standstill, an ambulance or fire engine could face life-threatening delays trying to navigate through the chaos.

What can residents do?

Until the industrial action is resolved, residents are advised to:

• Stick to the booking system: Ensure you have a valid appointment before visiting the tip to avoid being turned away.
• Check live traffic: Use local traffic apps to check the status of Coleshill Road before setting off.
• Home composting: Where possible, consider home composting for garden waste to reduce the burden on the site.