Birmingham’s rat crisis: Residents urge council to address ‘cat-sized’ rodent problem

Residents in Birmingham are expressing their horror as their streets are overrun by enormous rats, reportedly the size of cats.

These rats have been attacking cars and leaping out of wheelie bins, creating a growing concern among locals.

The surge in rat activity has been attributed to several factors, including ongoing bin strikes, increased fly-tipping, and nearby HS2 building work. Car owners in the area are also facing costly repair bills as the rats chew through wires and cables after nesting under the hoods of vehicles.

Homeowners are finding these pests living in their wheelie bins, leading many to say that the situation is spiralling “out of control.”

Residents of Drews Lane in Washwood Heath have labeled their neighbourhood a rat hotspot, linking the problem directly to the HS2 project.

Kim Blakeman, a local resident, described the rats as “huge—like small cats with chunky tails”. She noted that the rodents frequently invade locals’ recycling bins and that the influx of rats has increased since nearby HS2 construction began. Ms Blakeman also expressed frustration over the lack of council litter picking in the area, which has become a perfect nesting ground for the rats.

“We as neighbours collectively had to take our rubbish to the tip last week as the bin men won’t,” she said. “Litter from HS2 is blowing into our gardens. They are moving so much dirt and it should be dampened down but isn’t.”

She added: “I refuse to clean my windows now because they keep getting dirty.”

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The crisis is leading to serious health and safety concerns. Ms Blakeman said: “You can see rats jumping out of cars. I opened my bonnet last week and found a load of rat droppings inside.”

Another resident, who preferred to remain anonymous, added: “It’s getting grim; I see a rat almost daily. They’re absolutely everywhere.

“They are eating through our cars, getting into our bins and it can’t be good for all the children around here. It’s a health hazard.”

This resident highlighted that the fly-tipping issue is complicating and worsening the rat crisis, admitting that this is an “embarrassing situation for a major city.”

Residents believe that this issue warrants the need for action to address the alarming rat infestation in their community.

A Birmingham City Council spokesperson told The Birmingham Tab: “This escalation of industrial action will mean greater disruption to residents – despite the fair and reasonable offer that the council made to Unite the Union.

“To the small number of workers whose wages are impacted ongoing by the changes to the service (of whom there are now only 40) we have already offered alternatives, including highly valuable LGV Driver Training for career progression and pay, and other roles in the council equivalent to their former roles.  No worker will lose the sums Unite are claiming.

“Residents of Birmingham want and deserve a better waste collection service and the restructure that Unite is opposing is part of the much-needed transformation of the service.

“Our door is still open, and we would encourage Unite to come back to the table.

“We thank residents for their continued understanding and patience so far and will continue to provide up-to-date information about our plans during the industrial action.”

Featured image via SWNS