Swindon residents fear fly-tipping is getting worse

Neighbours in the Railway Village are fed up of seeing the space around the former homes of Great Western Railway Works staff being filled with waste and broken household furniture

One neighbour, who did not wish to be named, alleged that the historic housing estate had been a hotspot for 20 years and suggested that the situation was getting worse.

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He said: “I report it every time I see it, but I’ve never been contacted by the council in response. They usually turn up after four weeks to fix it and then two days later, it’s back.

“They clean it up when it happens but do nothing to prevent it.

“CCTV was installed [in 2011] but it got taken away two weeks later due to vandalism.

“Once, there were 30 or 40 bags of rubbish dumped in one go, which led to a rat infestation.

“Every time I walk around the corner, I dread what I will see. You get everything and the kitchen sink – literally.”

UPDATE: The council has responded

This is not the first time that the problem has been highlighted in the press.

Back in June, 34-degree heatwaves boiled the bags of waste dumped in the alleyways and created a terrible stench in the neighbourhood after the mess was taped off but left to rot for five weeks.

Residents fumed about how their efforts to keep the area tidy were being thwarted by tenants who leave their furniture outside when they move out and anonymous vans who pull up to dump rubbish before driving away.

At that time, the council noted that fly-tipped rubbish is left ‘in situ’ so that the local authority can investigate and attempt to find evidence which could lead to the person responsible.

The standard charge for a fly-tipping fixed penalty notice is £400, which is reduced to £300 if paid within 14 days but could increase if it is not paid within 28 days.

Report fly-tipping online via https://www.swindon.gov.uk/info/20023/environmental_problems/28/fly-tipping

Each year, the borough council spends more than £200,000 on collecting waste and taking enforcement action, which reduces funding available for other services.

Swindonians are advised to only use registered waste carriers - check this on the Environment Agency website – or book a bulky waste collection or visit to the Household Waste Recycling Centre.