Walton Highway, Walpoles and Terrington St Clement among biggest waste crime hotspots in East of England

An area of West Norfolk has been revealed as the East of England’s waste crime hotspot in a new study.

Walton Highway, the Walpoles and St Clement have seen the region’s highest number of reports for crimes such as fly-tipping and burning rubbish.

The findings have emerged from a new ‘heat map’, published by the Environment Agency (EA), which says it receives 16 reports every week in the East of England.

It comes as ministers vow to clamp down on so-called “waste cowboys”, who are responsible for the worst cases of environmental crimes.

In the last two years, 1,678 incidents were submitted to the EA in East Anglia - with 34,000 metric tonnes of waste a year illegally managed, according to the latest estimates.

The agency was unable to provide more specific figures for Norfolk at this time.

But the heat map shows a higher frequency of waste crimes are being reported in the villages east of Lynn.

It covers the area around Walton Highway and surrounding villages. The area is thinly populated, which may be one reason it has attracted fly-tippers.

The wide open fen landscape provides remote spots where people can dump rubbish without fear of being under surveillance by CCTV or passers-by.

It is also close to several larger towns, such as Lynn and Wisbech, with good transport links on the nearby A47 and A17.

When waste cowboys find a good site to dump waste undetected, they often return.

One lay-by off the A47 at South Brink, Wisbech, has had 21 reports of fly-tipping in the last six months, according to Fenland District Council.

A number of high-profile waste burning incidents have occurred in recent years - most notably in Clenchwarton, which even led the EA to issue a stop notice on Kenfield Farm.

It ordered the landowner to stop dumping and burning waste at the site after a blaze in May 2022 led to 50 firefighters being called to the scene.

West Norfolk Council, which is responsible for fly-tipping enforcement, says it has seen an increase in the number of reported incidents since launching a dedicated team in 2021 to tackle the issue.

A spokesman said the council takes a “proactive approach” and every case is reported for investigation - and fines are issued when offenders are identified.

“This increase in people’s confidence in our ability to remove, investigate and fine individuals involved highlights that they understand that we take fly-tipping seriously and will take enforcement action against offenders who do illegally dump waste,” the spokesman added.

“Much of what we clear would have been cheaper to take to the tip.”

Officers have recently slapped two fly-tippers with hefty fines following rubbish being dumped in an A148 lay-by on separate occasions.

After finding the culprits, officials ordered them to pay a total of £500 in fines.

Fly-tipping and waste crimes cost the economy about £1billion a year, the EA has said.

The true scale of the issue is not known due to crimes being under-reported, but it is estimated only 25% of incidents are brought to light.

To combat the problem, the Government has pledged to fight against people polluting the environment through its new Plan for Change, which includes tougher penalties for anyone caught transporting and dealing in illegal waste.

This includes new powers for councils to crush vehicles.

Mary Creagh, circular economy minister, said: “Through our Plan for Change, the Government will crack down on the waste cowboys, seize and crush fly-tippers’ vans, and clean up Britain.

“We will not stand idly by while organised crime groups profit from an avalanche of rubbish burying our communities and undercutting legitimate business.”

Fly-tipping is a criminal offence punishable by a fixed penalty notice, unlimited fine or imprisonment up to five years.

To report suspected waste crimes, people can contact their council or call the EA on its 24-hour anonymous hotline on 0800 807060.

Tip-offs can also be given to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.