Central Bedfordshire dealing with record number of fly-tipping incidents

It comes as a record 1.15 million fly-tipping incidents were reported across England last year, with Environment Secretary Steve Reed pledging to "punish rubbish dumpers".

Figures from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs show 2,552 fly-tipping incidents were reported in Central Bedfordshire in the year to March 2024 – up slightly from 2,509 the year before.

It was the highest level since comparable local records began in 2019-20.

The national number of fly-tipping incidents last year jumped by 6 per cent and reached the highest figure since 2018-19.

The most common place for fly-tipping to occur was on pavements and roads, accounting for 37 per cent of incidents. Meanwhile, some 60 per cent of cases involved household waste, ranging from black bags of waste to the contents of shed clearances, furniture, and carpets.

Fly-tipping in Central Bedfordshire was most common on highways (69 per cent), while household waste accounted for 53 per cent of the illegally dumped rubbish reports.

Cllr Tracey Wye, executive member for sustainability and climate resilience said: "The number of fly-tipping reports has increased by 1.7 per cent in a year. Fly tipping is an appalling offence which the overwhelming majority of people in Central Bedfordshire wouldn’t even consider. There is absolutely no justification for dumping rubbish and it is rightly a criminal offence.

"Not only does it pollute the environment it puts a huge financial burden on our residents who see their hard-earned money being used to tidy up after others.

"Central Bedfordshire will continue to investigate incidents, gather evidence and prosecute offenders. It is clear; fly-tipping will not be tolerated."

The Defra figures also reveal a slight drop in the number of enforcement actions, with fixed-penalty notices dropping 5% to 63,300 fines last year. This includes 35 notices issued in Central Bedfordshire.

Cllr Wye added: "We urge residents to dispose of their waste responsibly by using our Household Waste Recycling Centres and ensuring that anyone collecting waste on their behalf is a licensed waste carrier. Residents can check if a waste carrier is licensed by visiting the Environment Agency’s website.”