Lanes shut to end fly-tipping

A bid to seal off country lanes in Cannock Chase repeatedly hit by fly-tippers has been successful.

Staffordshire County Council has approved gating orders for three lanes in the district identified as hotspots for dumped rubbish. Now environmental health officers plan to install gates at Newlands Lane in Heath Hayes, School Lane in Little Wyrley and Reservoir Road, Hednesford Hills.

Residents and businesses along the lanes will be issued with keys to the gates but general traffic will be barred from using them. The move follows numerous incidents of fly-tipping in those areas.

Earlier this month 150 empty steel beer barrels were ditched, lining either side of School Lane.

In October two 45-gallon drums of industrial acid were dumped in a ditch, also on School Lane, costing the council £800 to remove.

In the 2007/8 financial year there were more than 20 cases of rubbish being dumped on Newlands Lane, including tyres, gas cylinders and even fridges as well as household rubbish and tree cuttings.

Last year there were 16 offences on Resevoir Road, including domestic and builders' waste. A successful prosecution was brought against a member of the public for illegal tipping there in 2006.

Clearing up fly-tipping in Cannock Chase cost the council £24,000 last year.

Steve Shilvock, Cannock Chase Council's head of environmental health, said: "We are delighted the gating orders have been granted to help us stop fly-tipping at these three hotspot sites. The gates deny access to all but legitimate landowners.

"This action will help to stop the menace that fly-tippers have caused in these areas, which costs Cannock Chase Council thousands of pounds each year to clean up and causes a real eyesore.

"We are committed to stamping this out."