COLCHESTER’S waste boss has vowed to bring flytippers to justice after the city’s most blighted roads were revealed in new data.
Maidenburgh Street in Colchester’s historic Dutch Quarter was among the top ten streets which saw the most flytipping between May 2022 and April 2023.
Avon Way, Hunwicke Road, Wheeler Close and Stanley Wooster Way, all in Greenstead, also made up the list alongside Barrack Street and Artillery Street in New Town and Christ Church.
Harwich Road, in St Anne’s and St John’s, Mill Road, in Highwoods, and Hythe Hill finished off the top ten.
The data came from a Freedom of Information request submitted to Colchester Council by the Gazette.
It also revealed a total of 607 fixed penalty notices were issued for littering and/or dog fouling across the city in the past year.
Colchester Council’s waste chief Martin Goss said the issue is a “scourge on society” amid a vow to crackdown on it.
“It makes me angry and you can rest assured I will make sure all incidents are investigated and where addresses are found, we will look to prosecute,” he added.
It follows Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs figures, published in February, showing Colchester suffered record high levels of flytipping in the year to March 2022.
Of the 2,824 reported incidents, 73 per cent were discovered on highways and a further 26 per cent on council land.
For news updates straight to your inbox, sign up to our newsletter here.
Household waste made up half of the total dumped mess while household black bin bags made up just more than a quarter.
Mr Goss said he believes flytipping levels have dropped over the past year due to new policies including the deployment of waste enforcement officers in the city centre.
“Flytipping is totally unacceptable and where we find it we investigate and we prosecute and in the most serious cases we take people to court,” he said.
“We will make sure enforcement is at the forefront of what we are doing. Flytipping is a scourge on society.”
A Colchester Council spokesman said: “Although there has been a 13 per cent reduction in flytipping over the past year, it still remains a persistent issue in certain areas of the city.
“The council is committed to taking strong action against those responsible for fly-tipping, but we also need the public's help.
"If you come across fly-tipping, please do not touch it. Instead, report it to your local neighbourhood team. You can find their contact information on the council's website
“Our neighbourhood teams always investigate reported flytipping incidents and gather evidence.
"If we can prove that individuals are responsible, we will issue a fine or take them to court in serious cases.
"If flytipping occurs on private land, the landowner is responsible for its removal, and you can report such incidents to the police on 101.
“There are many ways to dispose of waste legally and responsibly. To help prevent flytipping, only use a registered waste carrier to dispose of your waste.
"Take your waste to a recycling centre and do not leave it on the side of the road or in public areas. Please report any flytipping incidents to the council.
“By working together, we can keep our historic city clean and free of flytipping.”
We passionately believe in providing unrivalled quality journalism and value for money.
With a digital subscription, you can access our exclusive, insightful and trustworthy local news from just £1 a week.
If you are not already subscribing, sign up today to get instant access to our trusted local coverage - and an ad-light experience - check what package works best for you here.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel