ACTION must be taken now to prevent tourists being driven away by piles of litter in York city centre, a leading councillor has said.

Labour councillor David Scott said he found litter bins overflowing on two different days during the Bank Holiday weekend.

He claimed the council had let businesses and residents down by not emptying litter bins often enough.

Coun Scott said: “I can only wonder what impression visitors to the city thought at the sight of bin after bin overflowing.

“In a great historic city that relies upon tourism, this is simply not good enough.

“This is not the impression businesses and residents want or expect.”

He said he had been in the city centre on Sunday and Monday last weekend, the third big holiday weekend of the year.

On each occasion, he had found litter bins overflowing by mid-afternoon.

Coun Scott, chairman of the council’s economic and city development scrutiny committee, said: “With the summer tourist season now upon us, urgent action needs to be taken.”

He claimed the council had let down residents and visitors who had put their litter in the bin.

He said he had raised the issue with the director of communities and neighbourhoods.

Russell Stone, City of York Council’s head of Street Scene, said: “During weekends and Bank Holidays the litter bins in the town centre are emptied on a continuous basis from 9.30pm to 5.30pm. The driver has to go to the tip at some stage to empty the collection and, whilst away, depending on the number of visitors to the city, centre bins can become full.”

Last year, City of York Council, working with other agencies, staged high-profile anti-litter campaigns, including £75 penalty notices for dropping cigarette butts and a crackdown on litter in the Walmgate area.