West Lindsey District Council have named Trent Street in Gainsborough as their worst area for fly-tipping.
According to data obtained under the Freedom of Information Act, the street logged 103 incidents between April 2014 and March 2017.
During the same period:
- Ashcroft Road reported 91 incidents;
- Stanley Street and Clinton Terrace each reported 90 incidents; and
- Lewis Street reported 80 incidents.
The most recent figures released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs suggest that fly-tipping has increased nationally by seven per cent.
Over one million incidents were reported to local authorities across England between April 2016 and March 2017.
In contrast, their figures show only a three per cent rise in West Lindsey, with 970 recorded in the same period, up from 944 in the previous year.
The power that local authorities have in dealing with the issue of fly-tipping has changed in recent years, following the introduction of fixed penalty notices in May 2016.
These notices can impose fines of up to £400 depending on the severity of the incident.
Used as an alternative to court proceedings, it was believed that these notices would save money and be more efficient.
Despite this, the data reveals that no money has been collected in fines since 2014.
It also shows that the cost of clearing the mess amounted to over £184,000.
Councillor Judy Rainsforth represents Gainsborough South West and thinks that abandoned shopping trolleys are a particular problem.
She says: “This ward is one of the most deprived wards in the country and the locals are fed up of seeing [fly-tipping].”
“You drive through my ward and it looks like [shopping trolleys] are breeding.”
West Lindsey District Council are starting up a new scheme which will see local supermarkets fined if they fail to collect abandoned shopping trolleys.
The scheme is expected to launch in April 2018.
rebeccagarbutt 