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'Eyesore' fly-tipped waste in lay-by for months

Local Democracy Reporting Service The front view of a white lorry trailer. In front of it are black plastic bags full of waste, wood offcuts and other waste which have been coned of with orange and white cones. They are on a lay-by beside a roadLocal Democracy Reporting Service
The waste has been coned off and includes fibreglass, corrugated roof panels, wood, a door, packaging, beer cans and a mattress

An abandoned lorry trailer and fly-tipped rubbish are still on the side of a road, seven months after they were first reported to a council.

The waste and 13m (42ft) trailer were left beside the A40 Oxford Road outside Gerrards Cross in April, according to reports on Buckinghamshire Council’s Fix My Street service.

The trailer is parked beside the council's no fly-tipping signs. Residents have raised concerns about the "eyesore" waste, which includes corrugated roof panels, wood, packaging, beer cans and a mattress, blowing across the road.

Buckinghamshire Council said their removal was "a complex operation" requiring lane closures but it hoped to clear the vehicle "in the coming weeks". It added a criminal investigation was being led by the Environment Agency.

Local Democracy Reporting Service The side view of a white lorry trailer. On its right is fly-tipped waste, including black plastic bags full of waste, wood offcuts and other waste which have been coned of with orange and white cones. They are on a lay-by beside a roadLocal Democracy Reporting Service
Thomas Broom, Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for climate change and environment, said the dumping was "an horrendous environmental crime"
Local Democracy Reporting Service A black sign saying No Fly Tipping on black letters on a yellow rectangle. Other lettering in yellow says the site is under surveillance by Buckinghamshire Council. It is on Mumford Lane opposite a lay-by where the rear end of a white dumped articulated lorry trailer can be seenLocal Democracy Reporting Service
The waste and trailer were dumped opposite a sign saying the area is under surveillance as part of the council's attempts to deter fly-tippers

Thomas Broom, Buckinghamshire Council’s cabinet member for climate change and environment, said he was aware of five abandoned vehicles in five locations, "all of which are overweight and not roadworthy".

"Removal has taken much longer than we would want, because the waste material inside the abandoned vehicles has had to be sampled and tested for contaminants, and a specialist removal contractor employed," he said.

"Because of the scale of the removal needed, lane closures will be required as we complete the clearance so we are working to coordinate each site with other roadworks in the area to minimise disruption to the travelling public."

Rubbish is spilling out from the trailer's rear doors, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

A resident, who reported the trailer in May, raised concerns its roof had been cut out and water may seep in "causing failure in structural integrity, ultimately causing danger for the road users".

Another resident recently added a report about the "disgusting huge white trailer full of soil... been there for ages now. Huge fly tipping next to it. Total eyesore".

Broom said: "This is a disgraceful act of fly-tipping on an industrial scale and there is also a criminal investigation under way due to the offences that have been committed, being led by the Environment Agency."

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "Our investigation into this incident continues and whilst this is ongoing, we will not be commenting further for legal reasons."

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