Housebuilder frustrated at amount of fly-tipping

Mar 13 2008 By Graham Fraser

A BLANTYRE housebuilder has hit out at fly-tippers on Blantyre Farm Road.

Mark Evans (39), is building a new property on the popular country road between Blantyre and Uddingston and is frustrated with the amount of fly-tipping in the area.

Mr Evans, of Hamilton, said this week: “I realise the council are trying their best to deal with this problem. Just last week, I phoned them about the litter problems and they came out and cleared most of it up. But what are the long-term plans?

“I am building a house up here and I notice the litter is particularly bad towards the Uddingston end of the road, and near Townfoot Farm.

“The current legislation is not helping the council. They need more help from national government to tackle this problem. Builders who don’t want to pay just dump their waste on somebody else’s patch.

“While I appreciate the council’s efforts, I want to know what the long-term plans are to tackle those who fly-tip on the outskirts of Blantyre?”

Blantyre Farm Road is one site which seems to attract fly-tippers.

Last September, the Advertiser reported on fly-tipping at the council-owned Redlees Quarry, just off Blantyre Farm Road.

Asbestos sheeting lay on the grass at the side of a footpath leading down to the quarry while a number of items, from abandoned car seats to toilet cisterns, were strewn across the area.

A spokesperson from South Lanarkshire Council said this week: “We are enhancing our capability to detect environmental crimes of this nature by the purchase of covert surveillance equipment.

“But it is crucial that should members of the public witness such crimes that they contact us immediately during office hours on 01698 717777 or out with office hours on 0800 242 024.

“It would also be a great help if they could note a registration number, colour, or make of any vehicle used in such crimes. 

“We really need the public’s help to combat this blight on our landscape.

“The council provide free uplifts of special domestic waste and garden waste. It is also free for people to take their domestic rubbish to civic amenity sites.

“Traders are required to pay for the disposal of commercial waste. They are required to purchase vouchers for the approximate weight of the load they wish to dispose of at a civic amenity site.

“The cost is determined by the size of the load and is approximately £50 per tonne. This money covers the Government Landfill tax and cost of disposal of the waste.”