People warn of pigeon poo 'health hazard'

An influx of pigeons has led to commuters claiming they have been left dodging large piles of pigeon poo on their way to work.

David Galliac, originally from Lyon in France, moved to Swindon in Wiltshire three weeks ago and said he had noticed large patches of bird excrement on the Western Flyer path.

He claims authorities have "failed to act" over the "health hazard" caused by the large number of pigeons leaving poo, a situation worsened by people allegedly feeding them.

Swindon Borough Council said it was working with the South Swindon Parish Council to regularly clean the area and "would advise" people not to feed the birds.

The Western Flyer, a two-mile path which connects West Swindon with the town centre, has several signs warning people not to feed the birds.

Galliac said he has been in touch with the council about the pigeon problem, but had heard nothing back.

He said: "The point is there is a safety risk, especially about disease. My first worry, [is that] a pigeon can transmit disease, especially the flu.

"There is not only the flu, there is some bacteria, some fungi, some parasites, it is a problem."

Galliac has suggested the council use CCTV to track down who is feeding the pigeons. He claims they have grown in number in recent weeks and piles of poo reach 5cm (1.9ins) high.

Commuters echoed Galliac's concerns as they spoke to BBC Radio Wiltshire.

One resident has said the pigeon problem "depends on how many are in the tunnel".

She added: "If there's more than a few, you feel like you're in a bomb squad as you need to duck as they fly over your head."

Maryann Xavier, who lives in Swindon, often walks through the Western Flyer with her young daughter.

She said: "They [the pigeons] stay so long here they have a lot of excrement. It becomes quite a lot, almost like a hazard. Sometimes when my daughter walks here I get stressed she will touch the floor.

"I know there are actually people who come here and put food at a particular point. There is a need for some education. It's not the pigeons' fault."

"I feel bad for them," added one commuter walking from the town centre to West Swindon.

He said: "It kind of seems like they haven't got a home and they're just here to poop over the floor. The pigeons are now homeless pigeons. It's a pretty sad truth."

One woman stated she had seen the council send out a street sweeper to remove the poo, but it made "little difference."

Network Rail said it was working with the council to address the pigeon issue within the Western Flyer.

A spokesperson for Network Rail said: "We're in contact with Swindon Borough Council and we will consider any potential solution the council suggests. We'll endeavour to provide updates as this progresses."

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