More than 1,000 tyres illegally dumped at estates on Shropshire and Staffordshire border
More than 1,000 tyres have been illegally dumped on picturesque estates on the Shropshire and Staffordshire border over the past few weeks.
Two huge mounds of tyres on Bradford Estates, estimated to contain around 500 tyres each – one at Burlington Farm and one at Vauxhall Farm, just off the A41 – were discovered by members of the estates team.
The estates recently installed CCTV cameras to help prevent fly-tipping after being repeatedly targeted over the summer, with rubbish including sofas, toys and cannabis farm waste found in verges and on roads.
Watch: The scene of the illegal tyre dump
Fly-tipping incidents had decreased since the installation of the cameras – until the mounds of tyres were dumped.
The estates team has been working closely with PC Nock, rural business crime officer for Shropshire and West Mercia Police, and RABO Donaldson to find solutions.
Alexander Newport, managing director at Bradford Estates, said they were furious about the latest incident.
“They’ve gone to extraordinary trouble to dump them, in one instance travelling a quarter of a mile up a narrow track in what must have been a very large wagon," he said.
"We believe that some unscrupulous operator is going around local garages to collect their old tyres and then dumped them on the estates instead of paying to dispose of them legally and properly.
“This is like the council collecting rubbish from the doorstep, driving up the road and then dumping it on the street.
"The police and the council are both aware and are working with us to devise possible solutions.
"It’s very frustrating. We would like to ask garage owners whether they can account properly for tyres which leave their premises.
"Indeed, do any car owners actually know what happens to the tyres that come off their own vehicles.?
"Everyone has a responsibility to make sure that their tyres are correctly disposed of.
“Waste crime is becoming a huge problem. It has an impact on the environment and on the tax payer, as often with fly-tipping, the local authority has a responsibility to clear it up.
“We would urge anyone who has seen anything suspicious or who has any information to call the police."
Police can be contacted on 101.
