Horsham District Council is working in collaboration with Sussex Police, the Environment Agency and West Sussex County Council carry out a major crackdown on highways littering in the Horsham District.
The Council and its partners have hosted enforcement days on local roads where they had previously witnessed litter and fly-tipping as a severe problem.
The Council currently faces an ongoing battle with litter being strewn on the roadside across the District.
The appearance of litter on roadsides is a blight on our environment and its clearance currently costs local taxpayers thousands of pounds a year.
The targeted unannounced operation days were designed to address drivers who transport controlled waste (industrial/commercial) and establish if the vehicles had sufficient capability and/or capacity to carry waste.
Additionally, motorists carrying commercial waste were asked to produce their Waste Carriers Licence which is a legal requirement.
Every business in the UK that produces waste has a legal duty of care to manage it properly until it is recycled or disposed of. This means that businesses and residents must always use a registered waste carrier to carry their waste as well as keeping the correct paperwork for at least two years.
If you have a business that transports, buys, or sells waste of any kind, you must have a valid Waste Carriers Licence. These can be obtained online through the GOV.UK website. Businesses that do not comply face the risk of an unlimited fine.
In total over 60 vehicles were stopped one operation day, resulting in a number of fixed penalty notice fines, advice given regarding insecure loads, and faulty tyres and lights, and directions to register for Waste Carrier Licences.
Further unannounced enforcement days are being planned throughout 2024 across different locations.
In the past 12 months the Council has issued some 70 litter-related fines.
A Horsham District Council spokesperson said:
“We are really pleased to be working in close collaboration with so many key partners to combat littering and fly-tipping.
“Littering is a crime which not only causes a terrible eyesore for people but also damages the environment and leaves taxpayers out of pocket as it has to be removed at public expense, which is not acceptable.
“Our operation days are a great example of what can be achieved when partnership agencies work together to ensure the vehicles on our roads are operating safely and that they carry the correct licensing.”
The Council also asks that if road users or members of the public spot offenders littering or flytipping they should report incidents to them by going to the Council’s website or alternatively supply the Council with Dash Cam footage where possible.
Please go to: https://www.horsham.gov.uk/bins/reportit/fly-tipping-and-fly-posting or by call 01403 733144 to report offenders.