RESIDENTS close to a major new road are claiming that the works have led to an infestation of rats in their homes.
And they claim that council officers don’t want to help them sort the problem out.
Winnersh resident Sindy Shields, whose Labunum Road house backs on to the new relief road being built, said that the problem has been getting worse over the past of couple of the months.
And she says that the advice residents have been given has been to capture and kill the rats themselves.
“We believe that the work has disturbed rats’ nest and moved them on,” she told The Wokingham Paper.
Ms Shields has been in touch with other residents who live in roads around the first part of the relief road, which still has no official opening date. Plans have recently been announced for the second part, which will ultimately link Lower Earley Way with the A329 Reading Road just before the M4 overbridge.
Ms Shields told The Wokingham Paper that many of her neighbours had reported an increase in rat problems.
“Most people seem to have rats,” she said.
A Winnersh resident for 18 years, Ms Shields said she has not had a problem with the rodents until now. She said she called Wokingham Borough Council for help, but it took five weeks for a contractor to come out and inspect the area.
“He had not turned up for one appointment,” she said.
“I spoke to a lady at the council to find out where the person was and I was given advice.
“I was told not to feed the birds, which is a contradiction in helping wildlife. I have three breeds of birds nesting in my garden and they nest here because they feel safe and know they will be fed and watered.
“We should also put pea shingle into holes and gaps. We tried this and it was useless.
“We bought some traps, but the rats are very intelligent and they managed to eat the food without setting the traps off.
“We also purchased some poison that will not hurt birds, but the rats won’t eat it.
“We were also told to put chicken wire on the fences but this discourages hedgehogs and they’re an endangered species.”
Ms Shields said that she discussed these suggestions with the man who visited the house.
“He felt the best way for us to catch the rats is with a bait cage,” she explained. “If a bird or squirrel goes into the cage they can be released. If it is a rat you have to place a bag at one end of the cage to capture the rat and then kill it with the best way hitting it over the head.
“I for one could not do this and my elderly neighbours would not have the strength to kill a rat.”
And Ms Shields is so frustrated with the council’s response that she has made a formal complaint.
Wokingham Borough Council runs its environmental health department in conjunction with West Berkshire Council: the Public Protection Partnership (PPP) is a shared service provided by Bracknell Forest Borough District Council, West Berkshire District Council and Wokingham Borough Council delivering Environmental Health, Licensing and Trading Standards.
The PPP said it would prefer not to comment on individual cases.
Clare Lawrence, Assistant Director – Place Based Services, at Wokingham Borough Council, who sits on the Public Protection Management Board, has the following advice for residents:
“If you are experiencing rodent problems, and have not done so already, please contact a suitable and competent pest control company to provide treatment as necessary.
“The British Pest Control Association have a list of controllers who should be signed up to best practice guidelines designed to restrict any potential effects to wildlife. I would recommend that people request a number of quotes to enable them to compare.
“Unfortunately the PPP cannot make any recommendations.
“If you are aware that your neighbours are using contractors, you may wish to speak with them as you may be able to negotiate a better rate collectively and co-ordinate treatment to be more effective.”
Ms Lawrence added: “To assist the PPP in monitoring community issues such as this, and to provide guidance in pest control, we have set up an online reporting system. If you see rats in your premises or nearby, please do use this tool as it does provide a means of capturing the issues in your area.
“Where rats are not being managed the PPP has powers to require action against the landowner to control rats (and mice) under the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949.”
