Traders complain of 'embarrassing' dumped rubbish

Traders at an industrial estate have claimed business is being affected by "fly-tipping" and people using the site "like a public toilet".

Orrell Mount Industrial Estate, in Bootle, has been plagued by "embarrassing" rubbish for five years, they said, as they called for Sefton Council to "take action" by fencing off the site.

Ian McClelland, who runs a vehicle repair shop, said the rubbish was "constant" and it stopped customers visiting, which was "totally unacceptable".

Sefton Councillor Peter Harvey said: "All reported cases of fly-tipping are investigated and, where evidence is found, offenders are issued with fixed penalty fines or taken to court."

McClelland, who has been running Freeport Commercial Ltd for the past eight years, said the industrial estate had been used as a dumping ground for "at least five" of those.

"It's anything, you name it, they will just dump anything here, honestly," McClelland said.

"General household rubbish, boxes, parcels, building rubbish, carpets, radio player.

"I'm worried about asbestos to be honest with you."

McClelland added: "People have been using it as somewhere to stop and tip rubbish from their cars, and using it as a public toilet

"It is constant," he told BBC Radio Merseyside. "It stops customers coming to see us and it's embarrassing when they do."

McClelland said despite taking matters into his own hands and spending hundreds of pounds hiring a road sweeper to help clean the mess, the rubbish was still affecting trade.

"It's just an ongoing issue - we try and maintain the site as much as we can, but obviously there's only so much we can do," he said.

McClelland said he has asked Sefton Council to impose "some sort of controlled access on to the estate".

He said: "All we want is a fence or possibly a gated area, that stops people from visiting overnight and carrying out unsavory fly-tipping and other things."

Another trader, Andy Wilson, director at Oriel Studios signage and display company, also said the fly-tipping was interfering with business.

"It prevents our clients from wanting to come and visit us and it prevents us asking them as well," Wilson told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

"The fly-tipping is basically stopping growth in the area, but it continues to happen."

Wilson said that he thought those leaving the rubbish were repeat offenders - and claimed to have seen "suspicious" CCTV footage of lorries and vans turning into the site and then leaving shortly after.

Sharon Smith from Everton Glass told the LDRS: "It's very unsightly for customers driving through. It doesn't represent us very well."

"The council really need to provide something."

Andy Hayes, a manager at Phoenix Safe Company, said that the firm was not as badly affected as others because visitors get to it before they see the rubbish, but: "We want it stopping because if people come here, we want it tidy."

Harvey added: "Fly-tipping is selfish, disgusting and it blights our communities.

"We are aware of ongoing fly-tipping at Orrell Mount Industrial Estate in Bootle.

"Environmental Enforcement officers attended the site two weeks ago following reports from local businesses and councillors including myself.

"Officers responded swiftly recovering evidence, and they are continuing to investigate."

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