New, durable road blocks have been installed on roads near Frome to reinforce a temporary road closure which has been introduced to combat fly-tipping.
Concrete blocks have been put in place in Berkley Lane, while ‘Toblerone’ style barriers have also been introduced in Dark Lane.
Now the concrete barriers are in place it should make it much harder for illegal waste dumpers to access the narrow country roads.
The temporary road closure affects Berkley Lane, from the north side of the Pines Residential Site to a point just before the railway bridge before Berkley village. The closure also includes Dark Lane, along its entire length to the junction of Pot Lane.
As well as closing the roads, the council’s enforcement officers will strengthen their patrols in a bid to capture evidence which can lead to successful prosecutions.
Donna Nolan, Corporate Manager for Governance, Assets and Public Spaces said, “Now that the new barriers we had ordered have arrived and been installed, I am confident we are making it as difficult as possible for fly-tippers to access this area of the district to dump waste.
“We are committed to cracking down on fly-tipping across the district and will be closely monitoring this site, in partnership with the police, to assess whether these new measures are a success.
“At the same time, our enforcement officers will be stepping up their patrols in a bid to identify the criminals responsible. Where we are able to identify fly-tippers we will not hesitate to prosecute.”
Local residents can help the council by reporting fly-tipping on 0300 303 8588. They can also email customerservices@mendip.gov.uk or report directly online –
www.mendip.gov.uk/streetclean
They can also contact Crimestoppers to make an anonymous report of the fly-tipping you have witnessed. Call 0800 555111 or go to www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Residents are reminded that when they employ someone to take away their waste they have a responsibility to ensure that whoever they use has a current Waste Carrier Licence. If an unlicensed carrier is used and the waste ends up being illegally tipped the residents at the source of the material can also be prosecuted.
Mendip District Council, working alongside Somerset Waste Partnership, already offers a number of ways for residents to dispose of their waste safely and legally.
In addition to the fortnightly waste and recycling collections, residents can sign up for a fortnightly garden waste collection for £50 a year, or buy a pack of 10 garden waste sacks for just £26.
Somerset Waste Partnership operates a number of Household Recycling Centres across Mendip and also offers a collection service for ‘bulky waste’, such as fridges/freezers, tables, chairs, beds and sofas.
To sign up for a garden waste collection or find your nearest Household Recycling Centre go to www.mendip.gov.uk/waste or call 0300 303 8588.
