Driver fined after 'accidentally' dumping rubbish

A driver who claimed they 'accidentally' dumped two bin bags of rubbish in a country lane has been fined £1,000.

The Southampton resident, who has not been named, left two black bags of household waste in Burcombe, near Salisbury in Wiltshire.

When contacted, they said they had stopped there to change a flat tyre. When reaching into their boot to get their spare tyre, they had to remove the bags of rubbish and left them there accidentally.

After an investigation by Wiltshire Council, the person was issued with a £1,000 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) for fly-tipping, which has since been paid in full.

Environmental enforcement officers from Wiltshire Council had gone to Burcombe and traced the bags of waste back to a property in Southampton.

When contacted, the individual admitted driving away without remembering to put the bags back into their vehicle.

However, the waste that was originally dumped in December, was later found further down the riverbank, close to the watercourse and not at the roadside where the driver claimed to have left it.

Martin Smith, Cabinet Member for Highways at Wiltshire Council, said: "Fly-tipping is completely unacceptable, and we remain committed to holding anyone who disposes of waste illegally to account.

"In this case, the individual had several simple and legal options to manage their household waste, including putting it out for their regular waste collection or taking it to their local household recycling centre.

"Instead, the bags were left at the roadside, with the person claiming to have forgotten them after changing a tyre."

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