Fly-tippers dump rubbish one-minute drive from Upminster tip

Fly-tippers blocked Little Gerpins Lane, in Upminster, with rubbish, just one minute away from Gerpins Lane Reuse and Recycling Centre.

IWitness contributor Barry Jones, 40, discovered the rubbish at 10am on Thursday last week.

He filmed his attempt to navigate the huge pile of rubbish that is blocking the one-way lane.

He said: “This is the worst example of fly-tipping I have seen.

“Whoever dumped this rubbish has no regard for anyone’s safety.

“Drivers enter the lane around a bend and if someone is reversing because of the blockage, there could be an accident.”

Any resident in Barking and Dagenham, Havering, Newham or Redbridge could have disposed of their rubbish for free, around the corner.

There have been nearly 3,000 cases of fly-tipping on Havering’s roads and open spaces in the past year, amounting to almost eight fly-tips a day.

These incidents have cost Havering Council taxpayers almost £137,000 not including the cost of unreported fly-tips.

Fly-tipping is a criminal offence and those caught could be given a maximum penalty of £50,000 or 12 months imprisonment if the case is heard in the magistrates’ court or a five-year prison sentence and an unlimited fine if it is sent to the crown court.

Anyone with information about fly-tipping is asked to report the crime on the council’s website or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.