Call to crush vans used by convicted flytippers

BIRMINGHAM’S waste boss has called for vehicles used by convicted flytippers to be crushed.

Councillor John O’Shea (Lab) pledged the council was doing “all it can” to prosecute those prepared to leave rubbish anywhere other than at a household recycling centre.

“We are going right after them,” said Cllr O’Shea. “I want to see courts not only trying to get them jailed, but to crush their vehicles, too. It’s a criminal activity and we will, and have, prosecuted people. If you pay someone £20 to take away your rubbish in a white van, it’s going to end up on streets.”

When city council tips reopened on May 7 during the first lockdown there were massive queues, but an online booking system has resolved this and there is no excuse for flytipping.

Cllr O’Shea said: “The booking system has worked really well thanks to a real team effort.

“The problem with setting it up was that we had five sites and each one was big enough for a district council.

“We have now gone from residents having to give three days’ notice, to being able to book a slot often within two hours.

“What we want to do is to get that down to 15 minutes if we can.”

He said public support for the scheme was 80 per cent.

The council has also been encouraging local community groups like Erdington Litter Busters.