FRUSTRATED residents who live near a fly-tipping hotspot say they are "not being listened to" when it comes to the mounting piles of rubbish.
Mattresses, overflowing rubbish bags, and broken furniture line the streets of the Bevois ward and have done so for many years, according to residents.
Rubbish can be seen throughout the area and Argyle Road is particularly bad for fly-tipping.
Steve Jagir Singh, 60, a resident of nearby Derby Road, says the area is not safe.
He said: "It has been going on for a long, long time. Derby Road used to be a nice, clean street.
"People just drop the rubbish up there. There are bottles and needles where the kids play.
"There is no point telling the council as they are not doing anything about it.
"It is not safe for the children."
READ MORE: Fly-tipper who dumped wood shavings and household waste slapped with fine
Mr Singh, a father-of-two, said the council's 'bulky waste collection' service is too costly for some people, which leads to fly-tipping.
He said: "If the council stopped charging people £30 to pick items of rubbish up, this would not happen.
"This charge is putting people off and some elderly people in the area can’t afford it.
"The council needs to stop charging people to collect rubbish and come here once or twice a month to pick rubbish up.
"We are not being listened to at all."
Argyle Road resident Nahida Bi told the Echo "lots of people" leave their rubbish on the pavement opposite her house.
She said: "The council is cleaning it, perhaps two or three times a week but they do not collect the rubbish.
"Then, when it is clean, it happens again. It’s always the same thing and it is no good.
"I clean outside my house every two weeks because of the rubbish left."
One resident claimed a sofa has been left by the road for two years.
The resident, who wished to remain anonymous, said: "We have complained about that as I live opposite, but the council has not done anything.
"It’s all down Derby Road as well."
Deputy leader of the council, Cllr Jeremy Moulton has confirmed Argyle Road will be cleared "immediately".
He said: "Fly-tipping is a problem in Southampton and we are trying to get tough on those people that are doing this so we can catch them.
"If fly-tipping is on council land, we will get it cleared. If the rubbish is on private land, which is often the problem, such as in back alleyways, we can’t collect it.
"We are trying to get more proactive in that area and in the past, the council has been very hands-off, but that is not a practical way forward.
"We are trying a new policy in the next month or so for a more proactive approach.
"Having a nice, clean city is important for people who live here and visit or come here to study or shop."
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