Furious residents say ‘really chunky’ rodents chewing through cables and nesting in wheelie bins. Rats the size of cats are plaguing parts of Birmingham, residents say, with the city’s ongoing strike by bin collectors and nearby construction work for HS2 among issues being blamed for the infestation.
Residents of Drews Lane, Washwood Heath, an area already known as a rat hotspot, have found rodents chewing through car cables and nesting in bonnets and wheelie bins. Kim Blakeman, who lives on the road, told the BBC: “The rats are huge - they are like small cats and their tails are really chunky.
“They are in and out of our recycling bins and since HS2 has started across the road we’ve had more of an influx. “The council don't bother litter picking our road anymore. People fly-tip and it’s a perfect nesting site and the rats come and feed in our bins.”.
Birmingham City Council brought in a £24 charge for rat control visits in 2024, which was described by critics as a “rat tax”. The council acknowledged that missed collections had caused issues, as Unite the Union has listed strike days to continue into April.
Planning permission for HS2 the Washwood Heath Depot to become the main control hub for the whole HS2 was granted in 2023. It’s set to be the main maintenance and storage facility for HS2’s train fleet. Teacher Mariya Malik said that the rodent problem was so severe that a relative’s car had been damaged by rats chewing cables for a third time.
She told the BBC: “The car wouldn't start and that cost us around £120. It's not a fortune but £120 when it's not your fault - it's quite upsetting. “When you sit in your car in the morning there is just so much anxiety, is it going to start or have the rats attacked again? Fly-tipping isn't helping, the bin strike hasn’t helped.”.
City council reports from 2021/2022 revealed that B8 - the postcode containing Washwood Heath, Ward End and Saltley - was a hotspot for vermin in Birmingham, with more pest control call-outs than any other area. A spokesperson from Birmingham City Council told The Independent: “Whilst we acknowledge that industrial action is causing missed bin collections across the city we continue to ensure every household in the city receives at least one collection per week at this time. If a reasonable amount of side waste is presented this will also be collected as long as it is bagged or bundled.
“We would like to thank residents for their understanding and patience during this period of industrial action. We apologise for the inconvenience caused. “The council continues to treat for rats for a contributory fee, this is far less than the cost to deliver the service and that charged by some neighbouring local authorities. People can also purchase and treat themselves, as supplies are readily available in shops and online.”.
A spokesperson for HS2 said: “The health and safety of our workforce and the public is HS2's number one priority. Enclosed waste skips are used for bagged waste and are emptied regularly, with weekly site inspections carried out to check waste management.”.
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