Residents feel ‘let down’ in troubled Greater Manchester road

I have spoken many times with residents on Baguley Crescent, including long-term owner-occupiers, who have witnessed the decline of the road over the last 10 years.

They blame many of the area’s problems on the large number of privately rented flats, which have a high turnover of tenants who have either recently arrived in the UK or have struggled to find accommodation elsewhere.

When a new tenant moves into one of the flats, furniture is often dumped outside.

Things did seem to improve in the summer, when a multi-agency “day of action” took place involving local people, the police, the fire service and Bury Council.

A burnt-out caravan was cleared, an abandoned car was removed and tonnes of fly-tipped waste was cleaned-up.

But when I visited the road last week, I saw more abandoned mattresses, refrigerators and sofas dumped by the side of the road.

Much of the furniture was left next to an abandoned block of flats, beside empty land where – until recently – there were dozens of unsafe, derelict garages.