Residents in windy Orkney have been told they can put rocks on their rubbish bins to weigh them down – as long as the rocks don’t weigh more than 4.4lbs.
It follows a huge backlash after the local council banned Orcadians from weighing down their rubbish bins with stones or heavy objects – as they were a danger to collection crews. A group of rocks weighing 4.4lbs is equivalent to five cans of soup, or a big bottle of Heinz Tomato Ketchup.
Aberdeen Press & Journal
(Ron Grant)
Pro-pollution protest
A Londoner opposed to the Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion has started walking around with his registration plate strapped to his back in the hope he will trick cameras into issuing him with a fine.
Engin Coban, who has lived in Catford for 38 years, aims to cause more work for Transport for London by triggering a fine that would then have to be rescinded on review.
He said: “Why make their lives easy when they are making my life hard?”
MyLondon
(Steve Morley)
[See also: The Washington consensus is dead]
Pointless tattoo
A Tesco superfan, Dean Mayhew, has “no regrets” after having his Clubcard tattooed on his wrist – even though it’s currently only worth £18 in points. Mayhew, 31, of Devon, said he scans it twice a day.
Metro
(Amanda Welles)
Nothing to celebrate
Protesting residents held a party complete with a cake to mark the third birthday of roadworks.
An overhaul of a junction in Swindon was due to end in 2020 but is still not finished. Cllr Jim Robbins said: “Residents are still suffering after years of delays and broken promises.”
Metro
(Daragh Brady)
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This article appears in the 22 Mar 2023 issue of the New Statesman, Banks on the brink