Residents say a Huddersfield road is continually blighted by fly-tippers and there’s no consequences for the wrongdoers.
People living in Kilner Bank, a narrow road that runs down the back of the John Smith’s Stadium, are sick and tired of their area being used as a dumping ground for every item imaginable, from carpets and sofas to mattresses and old beds. Not that long ago someone dumped an old caravan there, which was promptly set on fire.
Locals are furious with the dumpers, but also with Kirklees Council as they don’t believe much is being done to catch the culprits.
Kate, who lives near the dumping hotspots along Kilner Bank, said residents had spent years contacting the local authority but the tipping was only getting worse, with taxpayers money constantly spent on clearing up, but with no apparent consequences for the culprits.
“It’s not just little bits of rubbish, it’s whole car loads, and even a full caravan was dumped and then set on fire by kids as it was cleared. It’s just ridiculous now. It’s just getting beyond a joke without consequence, so it keeps happening.
“Us tax payers are paying for this to be continuously cleared.”
Old caravan dumped on Kilner Bank, Huddersfield
Kate said the tipping had got ‘out of control’ as there were no consequences for people who did it. Residents had provided van registrations and other information about the culprits but they claim nothing came of it.
She added: “The lane is narrow, the laybys are there in order to allow people to pass in cars; there was an instance prior to Christmas where there was dumping in every single layby.
“The place is also overgrown and full of leaves, no road sweeping has been done either which contributes to the look of the area and may well encourage such behaviour.”
Local Labour councillor Munir Ahmed, who is also Cabinet member for Environment and Highways, said: “I am aware of the persistent issue of fly tipping on Kilner Bank as well as other hotspots in the Dalton ward like the New Road bottle bank in Kirkheaton and other areas in Kirklees.
Waste dumped beside Kilner Bank, Huddersfield
“The council operates a “Zero Tolerance Policy” on fly tipping and these instances are regularly reported and cleared quickly but we are continuing to see this illegal dumping of rubbish.
“When enough evidence has been found, the Council, working alongside colleagues at West Yorkshire Police, have been able to prosecute the offenders.
“But we’re seeing an increasing number of those on social media offering to clear waste as a service for local residents who then go on to dispose of it illegally. We do ask all local residents to be vigilant for those dumping waste illegally and be mindful of those claiming to offer a service which is actually breaking the law.
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“Specifically, with Kilner Bank, we are continuing to work hard with the Council highways services as well as environmental groups to effectively deter fly-tipping in the area, but it does remain a difficult challenge which many areas are facing.
“As local councillors we will continue to liaise and work alongside residents to get the message across and encourage the public to report such incidents of fly tipping to the council immediately.”
A Kirklees Council spokesperson said: “We are aware of the fly tipping concerns raised by residents in Moldgreen. We investigate every issue of fly tipping with the view of taking action against offenders. Residents should continue to report every issue of fly tipping via the council’s website.”
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