A GROUP of Portland residents have started a petition to move their new wheelie bin collection point.

Residents in Hambro Road have collected more than 100 signatures so far as they try to persuade Weymouth and Portland Borough Council to move their collection point to an alleyway at the back of their homes.

Housewife Jeanette Spence, 39, from Hambro Road, has been helping to collect the signatures.

She said: "We have no problems with using the new bins or with recycling but we do object to where the bins have to be collected from.

"It would be easier for us to stick with the old system of having the rubbish collected at the rear alleyway.

"Instead the council have said that we have to bring the bins to the pavement at the front of our houses. This means not only obstructing the pavement but in getting them there we have to drag them through our living rooms and hallways. "In some cases this cannot be done.

"Some of the residents have suggested we just leave our bins out the front. I hope this petition will persuade the council to change their minds. We have the community behind as most of the people we approached signed the petition."

Council environment spokesman Councillor Doug Hollings said: "More than 25,000 households will be serviced by the collection teams and they have to decide where is best for the waste to be collected from.

"At the end of the day I have to listen to the council officers' recommendations and generally I support them."

Waste and recycling services manager David Bowyer said: "As the collection officers have to return the wheelie bins we have tried to put the collection points as close to the vehicles as possible.

"We do try to keep the system flexible and we will offer a collection service at the rear of the terraced housing on Hambro Road.

"People will be able to leave their bins inside their back gates. We don't want them on the path as it is quite narrow and would be obstructed."

Admin officer Lorraine Pering, 38, from Hambro Road, said: "Although Hambro Road has been granted an exception I have been told by a council spokesman that the surrounding roads will have to write to the council if they wish to change their collection point."