Lease car companies and other vehicle owners are being warned that they must provide information when they are legally requested to do so, or face prosecution.
The warning follows a fly-tipping incident at the Chislehurst High Street Car Park in July 2024 when an individual was seen on CCTV exiting from a vehicle and dumping a quantity of waste next to the recycling banks. The vehicle was registered to a lease car company, and a notice was sent to the company using legal powers outlined in Section 108 of the Environment Act 1995 to require documents to assist with the investigation into the deposit of waste at Chislehurst Car Park.
When the company failed to provide details, even after a reminder letter was sent, prosecution followed. The Slough based company, LeasePlan UK Ltd, pleaded guilty to Bexley Magistrates Court and was fined £500 and ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £200 and £423 in prosecution costs, totalling £1123.
Councillor Angela Page, Executive Councillor for Public Protection and Enforcement, said:
“This example shows that we will persevere when investigating fly-tipping incidents and prosecute when we have evidence. When information is requested as part of these legal enquiries, failure to provide those details is seen as an obstruction to the criminal investigation and will result in prosecution, showing just how seriously this is taken. Bromley council is committed to tackling fly-tipping in all its forms, not just larger scale fly-tipping, but also small-scale fly-tipping too, which is also a problem.”
Fly-tipping problems can quickly and easily be reported on the council’s website www.bromley.gov.uk/report. Photographs can also be included in these reports. However, in emergencies, when a road is completely blocked for instance, fly-tipping should be reported by phone so that priority attention can be given.
