Twelve fined after eight tonnes of waste dumped in Ashton alleyway

Twelve people are set to be fined after more than eight tonnes of waste were illegally dumped in an Ashton alleyway.

Tameside Council’s waste enforcement and street cleaning officers carried out a day of action on Tuesday 20 January at an alleyway off Springfield Street, behind Kings Road and Kenworthy Avenue, following complaints from concerned local residents.

During the clean-up operation, officers removed over eight tonnes of rubbish from the site. Investigations enabled the council to trace the waste back to 12 individuals, all of whom will now receive Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for fly tipping. If the fines are not paid, court prosecution proceedings will be initiated.

Councillor Laura Boyle, Tameside Council’s Executive Member for Environmental Services and Neighbourhoods, welcomed the outcome.

She said: “This is a great result, the alleyway now looks much better and cleaner for the local community and, equally importantly, those who are responsible for dumping the waste will be held accountable.

“Alleyways such as this are not owned or adopted by the council and it is the responsibility of the residents who have access to them to maintain them and keep them free from rubbish. Unfortunately, this location had become a regular fly tipping hotspot, blighting the neighbourhood, and I’m grateful to our teams for their hard work and dedication in clearing and investigating the waste to find and take action against those responsible.”

Cllr Boyle added that fly tipping has a serious impact on communities and the environment.

“There is no excuse for fly tipping; it is disrespectful to other residents and the local environment,” she said. “Already this year, in January alone, we have issued 49 Fixed Penalty Notices for waste-related offences.

“Most people don’t illegally dump their waste, but for those that do, we will always take action where we find evidence. Our teams are proving themselves to be exceptionally proactive and diligent in tackling this on behalf of the community.”

The Alleyway after cleanup. Credit: Tameside Council