Fed Up on Pye Bank Drive

Dear Messenger,

I would like to bring to your attention what is happening on Pye Bank Drive/Road, Woodside.

Since the maisonettes were pulled down we have had no end of rubbish being dumped on our road. It is beginning to become an eyesore for the area. Rats have taken over the street where the children that still live here play. During the day and night we as residents watch various cars and vans come and dump their unwanted goods which range from fridges, beds, furniture etc. We know they are doing this as the entrance to Rock Street is blocked off. So we are able to see them drive down and empty their vehicles and then drive back up the road like nothing has happened. Let me point out there is a clear sign informing drivers that the road is a dead end.

Various fires have been set at the old pub site where in fact most of the rubbish has been dumped. Just last night 1st June 2008, three youths drove a car into the wall on Pye Bank Drive and crashed it before setting it alight and then running off down the road. It's getting very depressing living on this road, it never use to be like this.

We have drug sellers doing their deals, people hanging around waiting for the drug dealers to arrive. All sorts of shady characters appear on the road. We have people parked in their cars taking and smoking their drugs and then driving up and down the road at speeds that are unnecessary while the children are playing. The road is becoming very dangerous indeed. Once again there is nothing that the police can do as they are long gone before they get here.

We are a close set of neighbours that have always looked out for each other and it seems a shame that a few inconsiderate low lifes want to spoilt it for those that still live here. It has got to the stage where I am ashamed of my family travelling up the motorway to see me because of the state of the street.

These people know what they are doing, but what do they care? They don't have to live here, do they?

I have lived on this road for over 13 years as have the other residents too and it seems sad that we would have to move. I can assure you that not one of us wants to do this despite what is going on. You would have thought with Pye Bank Drive/Road being so close to the town centre that the council would try and address this issue. But we all know what they would say we were not aware of any problems on this road. We all know about the so called red tape and funding issues.

We want our street back, can you help?

Yours sincerely, a very angry and fed up resident of Pye Bank Drive.

Afternote

Since this letter was written, this issue has been raised at an Area Panel meeting. The Councillors are planning to meet the resident to discuss possible solutions.