Earth bund installed to beat fly-tippers at notorious dumping hotspot

29 June 2022

A notorious fly-tipping hotspot on the busy A605 has had preventative measures installed to combat the littering that has blighted the lay-by near Lilford Woods.

Waste enforcement officers from North Northamptonshire Council worked with Northamptonshire Highways to first clear the site and then build an earth bund which will restrict vehicle access.

Money for the project came from the Office of the Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner from funding set aside for landowners who are suffering from fly tipping.

Since 2018 there have been 21 complaints of fly-tipping at the location. In this instance the team cleared waste including hundreds of full bin bags and empty oil cans, not only making it unsightly but potentially putting lives at risk.

It is a vital part of our work to detect and deter the selfish, thoughtless and anti-social actions of those who are causing a negative impact on our local communities by committing fly tipping offences.

It’s unfortunate that we’ve had to take this action but we were left with little option given the frequency with which waste was being fly-tipped. I’d like to thank our partners for ensuring we could do this work.

Where an offence has been committed, our teams will investigate thoroughly and provide offenders an opportunity to discuss the individual circumstances of each case and take the most appropriate enforcement action depending upon the circumstances.Cllr Graham Lawman, the council’s Executive Member for Highways, Travel and Assets

North Northamptonshire Council operates a zero-tolerance policy in relation to any incidents of environmental crime and Officers will actively investigate any cases. Anyone can report an incident and please do provide as much detail as possible to help us with our investigations.Cllr Jason Smithers, Leader of the Council

Fly-tipping is anti-social and has a negative impact on how people feel about the area in which they live. It’s a criminal act, it causes pollution and costs a significant amount of public money to clean up.

I have set aside funding that will go some way to providing the tools needed to deter fly-tippers and support landowners who find, often dangerous and hazardous waste, dumped on their land. The funding can be used to cover the cost of having fly-tipping removed, as well as to fund prevention measures to make land less vulnerable to fly-tippers in future.Police, Fire and Crime Commissioner Stephen Mold

Fly-tipping is a crime which blights communities, poses a risk to public health and the environment, and costs, nationally, up to £392 million a year. Local authorities dealt with 1.13 million fly-tipping incidents in 2020/21, up by 16% from 2019/20.

Incidents of fly-tipping can be reported to the council.

People are encouraged to log local fly-tipping hotspots and note number plates of vehicles seen dumping waste.

However, they should remain safe and are discouraged from approaching or photographing fly-tippers or investigate the waste themselves.

To dispose of waste responsibly, please visit one of the Household Waste Recycling Centres across the area or find out about bulky waste collection services in your area.