As ever, in her front page report (Exmouth Journal, September 2) on the planned changes in rubbish and recycling in The Colony, Becca Gliddon reported the concerns of residents very well. Very few of us who read the attractive explanatory leaflet, sent by East Devon District Council, registered the fact that it was a legal document.

Those who realised that the plan was to have the refuse bins at the front of the properties were told by others that they had misunderstood. That would just be plain silly.

The biggest question is, why change the present system? Apart from the fact that the council now uses gurt great trucks that cannot access all the service lanes, the problems appear to be few and manageable. Relative to the upheaval the current plans will cause, that is, not to mention the probable cost.

Thoughtless traders who park their vans in the lanes when they can see the refuse bins are outside homes, ready for collection, should be made to move. People who regularly overfill their bins were told they would be prosecuted, but they never are. Vehicles left on the corners of the service lanes should be towed away, making like easier for everyone else, as well as the drivers of the refuse vehicles.

I have been told that there is a need for increased recycling. Well, for a start, it might be a good idea if the council asked those who do not put out a recycling box for their reasons. I am sure SITA operatives would be able to identify the properties concerned.

The comment about providing seagull proof bags does not address the problem of toting two weeks’ accumulated rubbish from the back to the front of the property. Not a happy prospect for an octogenarian!

There are so many uncertainties, so many questions, involved in this scheme, the public should have been consulted long before a legal notice was served.

Ann Prior,

75 Egremont Road, Exmouth.