Bedford Borough Council cracks down on environmental crimes with £7,000 in fines

Bedford Borough Council’s Enviro Crime team has secured a series of successful prosecutions, sending a strong message that crimes against the local environment will not be tolerated.

Offenders were ordered to pay a combined £7,050 in fines, costs, and victim surcharges for offences including fly-tipping, vehicle abandonment, and highway obstruction across Bedford and Elstow.

Among those prosecuted was GTG Civils Ltd from Tilbury, fined £3,540 for abandoning a silver Peugeot on Ampthill Road in February last year. Bedford residents Vasilica Cojic and Breda Doherty were fined £2,014 and £2,072 respectively, for failing to answer Council questions after illegally dumping waste near Cople and for dumping broken sofa parts in Ampthill Road. Tim Sage of Bedford was also fined £1,424 after leaving an unattached caravan obstructing Firbank Road for an extended period.

These offences breached a range of laws designed to protect both residents and the local environment, including the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Environment Act 1995, Refuse Disposal Amenity Act 1978, and Highways Act 1980.

Councillor Phillippa Martin-Moran-Bryant, Portfolio Holder for Housing and Regulatory Services, said:

“Fly-tipping and vehicle abandonment are not victimless crimes. They harm our neighbourhoods and cost the public. These prosecutions show Bedford Borough Council is committed to protecting our environment and supporting residents who take pride in where they live.”

The Council continues to encourage residents to dispose of waste responsibly. Large household items can be taken to Bedford Borough’s Household Waste Recycling Centre at Barkers Lane, bulky waste collections can be booked online, and unwanted vehicles—including caravans—can be removed for a fee.