Peterborough road blocked by pile of rubbish as councillor calls for end to illegal fly-tipping

A parcel shelf, nails, glass bottles, bags of rubbish, wooden battens and baby seats made up a very long list of the items irresponsibly dumped in a Peterborough road.

The huge heaped pile of fly-tipped rubbish blocked Meadow Road, between Peakirk and Werrington on Tuesday morning, so-much-so, Cambridgeshire Police were called.

Resident Nick Jackson, who lives on Meadow Road and shared pictures of the rubbish on social media, said it looked like someone had “emptied their entire house in the middle of the road.”

He said the road is a “regular spot for fly-tippers” and estimated there has been about ten incidents in the same spot, in the past year.

"One car attempted to get by and, due to the amount of screws and nails on the floor, got a puncture,” he added.

Councillor Nigel Simons, who represents the Eye, Thorney and Newborough ward, said Peterborough City Council is doing “as much as it possibly can” to combat illegal fly-tipping.

He said the council currently has six enforcement cameras across the city and hopes to deploy more enforcement officers to investigate incidents and intercept fly-tippers.

"It’s a real problem and one we need to get on top of,” councillor Simons told the Peterborough Telegraph.

"It’s criminal activity and a real pet hate of mine.

"We need the Government to take legal action to make it so the punishment fits the crime.

“We had several in court recently where the fines they received were around £30 – £40 – it’s ludicrous.”

Cambridgeshire Police attended Meadow Road just after 7am on 21 March.

Officers closed the road before council contractors arrived to clear the rubbish and the road is now open again.

“Fly-tipping and littering can be a health hazard, not to mention an eyesore. It can cause unpleasant smells, attract pests and create a dangerous environment for children, pets and wildlife in particular,” a Cambridgeshire Police spokesperson said.

“If you’ve witnessed littering or people leaving a mess in public, please don’t attempt to remove the rubbish yourself in case there are hidden sharp or dangerous items. Contact your local council who will arrange for the rubbish to be removed.

“If you’ve witnessed fly-tipping or people discarding drug-related equipment, please photograph the discarded items if possible, and find the right antisocial behaviour reporting service using the force’s online tool.”

For more information and advice, including how to report fly-tipping, visit the force’s dedicated web page.