Tough fines for Valley fly-tippers

Introducing fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping is the latest move in a Government crackdown on waste crime, which costs millions of pounds a year in clean-up costs, blights the countryside and is a public health risk.

Ribble Valley Borough Council leader Stuart Hirst said: “Fly-tipping is a blight. It starts with a small pile of rubble, or a couple of bin bags, but then more rubbish is dumped and, before you know it, half a house clearance has been left.

“Some of our backstreets and country lanes are becoming an eyesore and we are determined to tackle it. Our environment is too lovely to trash and anyone caught fly-tipping is going to feel it in their back pocket.”

Environment Minister Rory Stewart added: “It is beyond me that anyone feels it is acceptable to dump their waste by the road in our cities or the countryside.

“This new fixed penalty notice will provide local authorities with another tool to crack down on selfish individuals who blight communities and ruin our beautiful landscape.”

Report flytipping to the council on 01200 425111.