PLEA FOR ACTION OVER FLY-TIPPING
AN elderly resident wants action to stop fly-tippers dumping van loads of trash in a Wood End neighbourhood before the rubbish goes up in flames.
The 75-year-old fears the overloaded skips at the back of Lillington Road and Wexford Road will be torched and could ignite wooden fences, gardens and sheds close by.
The man, who asked not to be named, has complained before but says every time the rubbish is removed from the car park another load is left behind.
He called the fire brigade out over the weekend and says they expressed concern but said nothing could be done until office hours on Monday.
The resident, a housing association tenant with Citizen, said: “Something needs to be done about this. There are two skips that have been there for four weeks and they are full of who knows what. The fire service came out and took one look to see the problem but they said there was nothing they could do because they have got to go through the council.
“There are bits of rubbish, bits of paper in the skips and on the ground.
“If it goes up it could take a wooden fence, shed or garden with it. It’s a disgrace that it’s just been left like that when we are paying out taxes.”
The resident wants a long-term solution to the ongoing problem of flytipping behind the houses.
He said: “People come from all over to dump the rubbish by the van and lorry load.
“It’s easily been going on for four or five years but because of Covid it’s not been taken away so quickly and it’s the worst it’s ever been. Even if the skips are cleared guaranteed in a week’s time there will be more rubbish dumped there.
“We need security cameras to record the registration numbers of the vans and lorries that leaving the stuff. It’s not people on foot, it’s being brought in by people driving vehicles.
“The cost of a camera would be cheaper than having to send people to clear it out all the time.”
The council said the matter was for Citizen to respond to, as the fly-tipping was taking place on the housing association’s land.
A spokesman said: “We are aware of the fly-tipping issue in Wood End and we will be removing the rubbish over the next two days.
“During lockdown fly-tipping has become an increasing problem in our communities. Fly-tipping is a crime which creates an eyesore and a hazard for people who live nearby. We urge anyone who needs to dispose of items to get rid of these using an appropriate service, such as Coventry City Council’s bulky waste collection service.
“We welcome people coming forward and sharing information about any suspected perpetrators to help us to take further action.
“We will continue to work closely with Coventry City Council to tackle this behaviour.”