Peterborough farmer calls for action against 'non-stop' fly-tipping
The city has been found to be the East of England's fly-tipping hotspot
A farmer near Peterborough is calling for tougher action to tackle fly-tipping.
The city became the East of England's hotspot for fly-tipping between 2023 and last year, with 46 incidents per 1,000 people, according to data from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra).
In that time period, 10,128 fly-tipping incidents were recorded in Peterborough.
"In the last 20 years, it (fly-tipping) slowly builds up to the point where it is now, which is non-stop; it makes you wonder whether you actually live at the tip," Will Stevenson, a third generation arable farmer, said.
Will has seen up to five fly-tipping incidents a week on his arable farm, with items including "seven or eight fridges and a load of rubbish that contained a well-known restaurant chain's furniture" dumped.
The issue has frustrated Will, who closely monitors what's happening outside.
"You're always watching vehicles going down the road, whether they're driving too fast, too slow, do all their brake lights work, and you get a feeling when someone is looking to dump rubbish and the feeling is generally always right," he said.
"If you can't drive into your own house or farm, without seeing the verges awash with all sorts of rubbish, you think 'what is the point?'"
The National Farmers' Union (NFU) estimates that at least two thirds of farmers, nationally, have been affected by fly-tipping.
Cllr Angus Ellis, cabinet member for environment and transport at Peterborough City Council, said the authority is “fully committed to tackling litter and fly-tipping".
He said that measures including new cameras in hotspot locations have been enforced, and the council has set up "a cross party task and finish group to specifically look at fly-tipping and increased fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping offences to the maximum amount.
"Whilst our fly-tipping figures are high compared to other councils, this is not a like for like comparison as Peterborough’s authority area includes urban and rural areas which historically have suffered from fly-tipping."
Defra found that nationally, local authorities in England dealt with 1.15 million fly-tipping incidents in 2023-24, an increase of 6% from 2022/23.
The Department also found local authorities carried out 528,000 enforcement actions in 2023/24, compared to 530,000 for the previous 12-month period.
'Better enforcement' needed
Rachel Hallos, vice-president at the NFU, said farmers face “a constant battle against illegal dumping, the damage it causes to our land and the financial burden of clearing it up."
She also called for "stronger deterrents, better enforcement and real support for victims".
Will believes a change in the law can help towards tougher punishment for suspects.
"I've caught people on CCTV, faces as clear as day, and nothing can be done or is done so the answer is clearly you'll never catch the people tipping because if they haven't been caught up to this point, unless laws are changed, you won't be able to stick a crime to someone," he said.
Defra said it will work with stakeholders - including local authorities, the Environment Agency and the NFU - through the National Fly-tipping Prevention Group to tackle the problem.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed labelled fly-tipping as "a disgraceful act which trashes communities and its increase is unacceptable.
"This Government will crack down on fly tipping and punish rubbish dumpers, forcing them to clean up their mess," he said.
“Through the new Crime and Policing Bill, we will also give ministers the power to issue statutory guidance to councils to drive up fly-tipping enforcement.”
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