Cracking down on abandoned cars and fly-tipping in Peterborough

It’s unsightly, it blights communities and it results in time and money being spent to clean it up.

We also know that it’s an issue residents in Peterborough feel passionate about and that’s why we’re committed to doing all we can to tackle the problem.

We would like to remind people that the penalties for being caught fly-tipping can be pretty severe.

Recently our enforcement team was made aware of a chest of drawers that he been dumped on green space in Princes Road, Fletton.

A resident had reported this to a local councillor and once our officers had traced the culprit he was handed a £300 fine.

In this instance, had the offender simply taken the drawers to the Household Recycling Centre in Fengate or arranged a collection for a small fee, the matter would never have arisen.

We would also like to thank the resident who took action to stop this individual from dumping waste. They have not only helped to keep their neighbourhood clean and tidy, they have also saved the taxpayer the cost of removing the waste.

Obviously our enforcement officers cannot have eyes on the whole city so we rely on residents telling us if they see fly-tipping being committed or of waste which has been dumped illegally.

So we encourage people to call us on 01733 74747 with as many details as possible. You can also report fly-tipping online at www.peterborough.gov.uk.

Our enforcement team have also been busy dealing with abandoned cars (like the one pictured).

A ‘not so magnificent’ seven people were recently found guilty in court of dumping cars across the city and each were fined £400.

Again, these cases highlight the likelihood of a heavy penalty for such offences.

Similar to fly-tipping, abandoned vehicles are a blight on communities and whenever these are reported to us we will look to take action by getting vehicles removed and, where possible, looking to prosecute those responsible.

We would similarly encourage residents to report abandoned vehicles to us at the earliest opportunity.

The weather has been pretty cold of late and like me you’ve no doubt spent many mornings scraping frost from your car windscreen.

At this time of year, the conditions can cause a number of pitfalls for motorists.

The most basic advice we can give is to make sure you lower your speed, especially when driving in the dark or in difficult weather conditions.

But it is also vitally important to prepare your vehicle before heading out on any journey, especially lengthy ones. The following tips will help ensure your vehicle can take on the worst winter can offer:

. Keep a regular check on your oil levels.

. Make sure the windscreen wipers are in good working order.

. Keep water levels topped up.

. Make sure lights are clean and all bulbs including fog lights work.

. Check your tyre pressure.

. Ensure tyres have the legal amount of tread, it can take twice as long to stop when roads are wet and up to ten times longer in icy conditions.

. Ensure you have sufficient fuel for your journey before heading off.