RESIDENTS in more than 500 homes in Blackburn and Darwen will now have to carry their rubbish to collection points up to a mile away in a controversial move by the borough council.

Instead of having their rubbish collected from their driveways weekly, residents in rural areas of the borough away from adopted roads have now been provided with a map leading them to a central collection point.

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Bins must be taken there before 7am on the morning of collection.

Areas affected include Darwen, Pickup Bank, Hoddlesden, Waterside, Blacksnape, Yate, Edgworth, Belmont, Belthorn and Eccleshill.

Blackburn with Darwen Council said that collecting from unadopted and unmade lanes was ‘extremely costly’ and the condition of some of the roads has caused damage to refuse vehicles.

It comes after the council announced fortnightly collections, with general waste and recycling alternating each week.

All changes will kick in on Monday, October 3.

Rossendale and Darwen MP Jake Berry has slammed the council for asking elderly residents to become ‘DIY binmen’ in a move he claims they have ‘sneaked through the back door’.

He said: “I’ve had dozens of residents contact me as the council have decided to scrap collections to hundreds of homes that live on narrow roads or outlying areas.

“They are now asking 90-year-old residents to become ‘DIY’ binmen.

“I’ve spoken to some of our councillors and residents about this issue and they are quite rightly furious. There has been no consultation about these changes which have just been sneaked through the back door.

“The council have tens of millions of pounds in reserves. They should not be axing vital services like bin collections that many residents pay thousands of pounds in council tax for.”

Around 2,500 people have signed Mr Berry’s petition to ask the council to reconsider their plans.

All affected residents in rural areas have been sent information packs with calenders for their collection dates and a map leading them to their collection point.

The council said that changes to collections were necessary to ‘save money’.

Councillor Jim Smith, executive member for Environment, said: “We are having to make changes to collections to help save money and to help increase recycling rates.

“In line with what other local authorities are doing, people living in rural areas will have new collection points for their bins.

“All 505 households in rural areas have been hand-delivered information packs with calendars for their new collection dates.”

Cllr Julie Slater, who represents East Rural ward on the council, said: “Many of these residents are in band c and d for council tax and they also pay a precept to the parish councils.

“None of them have been consulted about having to go to a collection point, the letter they have received is the first they have heard about it.

“They feel like they are being totally discriminated against and many of them will really struggle to reach these collection points due to being disabled or elderly.”

Cllr Smith said that the council will help residents who cannot take their bin to a collection point.

A meeting with residents is planned for Wednesday evening with Cllr Julie Slater, but a time and venue is yet to be confirmed.