Wiltshire Council and Wiltshire Police work together to seize vehicle suspected of being involved in fly-tipping

Wiltshire Council is continuing its crackdown on environmental waste crime with the seizure of a vehicle believed to have been involved in fly-tipping.

In a joint operation with Wiltshire Police, the white Ford transit van was seized from the Amesbury area on 10 January 2025. The vehicle had been captured on CCTV being used to fly-tip commercial waste on a public right of way in Bulford.

Under the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 and the Environmental Protection Act 1990, councils have powers that allow them to seize any vehicle they suspect of being involved in environmental crime, being used for fly-tipping, or being used by an unregistered waste carrier.

The council can hold any seized vehicles for up to 15 days while investigations take place. If legal proceedings are initiated, the vehicle may be retained for the duration of the investigation before a magistrate decides whether the vehicle will be returned to the owner. At this stage, if a decision is made not to return the vehicle to the owner, it could result in the vehicle being crushed or sold.

Councillor Nick Holder, Cabinet Member for Highways, said: "I would like to thank Wiltshire Police for their assistance in this case, this is a great example of our officers and police colleagues working together to combat environmental crime in Wiltshire.

“Fly-tipping is a key priority for us as a council and we are working hard to try and eradicate it across the county and prosecute those responsible. Not only is it a criminal offence but it can be a real blight on our communities. Where we come across evidence that a vehicle may have been used for fly-tipping, we will use our legal powers to seize it. 

"If it is found that the owner is engaging in fly-tipping or transporting waste without the correct waste carrier documentation, we will look to extend these powers to either crush or sell the vehicle.

“We hope that this seizure will act as a stark warning to anyone who may be tempted to fly-tip waste or to use unlicensed waste carriers.”

Inspector Andy Lemon of Wiltshire Police’s Rural Crime Team said: “Wiltshire Police work closely with Wiltshire Council, carrying out joint operations throughout the year across the county to prevent fly tipping, and hold those responsible to account. Fly tipping is a priority for rural crime teams nationally, and we remain committed to working with the local authorities to prevent fly tipping from taking place, as we understand the negative implications this can have on our communities.” 

Householders and businesses have a duty of care to ensure that if using a rubbish clearance service that their waste is transferred only by collectors with a valid waste carrier’s licence.

To prevent waste being fly-tipped, people should:

• Check the person has a valid upper tier waste carrier licence and note down the number
• Note details of the vehicle used, such as the make, model and registration number
• Obtain a receipt or waste transfer note.

If the waste is dumped, the householder could then give council officers this information, which would then mean that the person who dumped the waste is liable for prosecution, rather than the householder.

To find out more about fly-tipping prevention and to report it, please see www.wiltshire.gov.uk/fly-tipping.