A COUNCILLOR has welcomed the installation of target hardening measures to prevent flytipping on a rural lane that has been blocked and blighted by rubbish for many years.

Cllr Sara Muldowney is celebrating the arrival of a gate and bollard to block illegal access to Sandy Lane in her ward of Chadwell St Mary.

Fly-tipping has long been a problem at Sandy Lane and featured in this Nub News story as far back as 2020.

The Labour councillor says: "Since residents contacted me to alert me to the ongoing problems with fly tipping on Sandy Lane, I have been working closely with the council's Environment Enforcement Teams to address this issue.

"The flytipping on Sandy Lane has been a decades long persistent problem, with the council spending large amounts of money to clear fly tips, only for more fly tipping to follow immediately."

"This has been a complex problem to address and has taken a considerable amount of time to deliver a long term solution to this problem and I want to thank Environmental Enforcement Officer Luke Guidotti for his hard work in addressing this issue."

"After discussions with local residents who have been affected by this nuisance for many years and an investigations of the site, it became apparent that nearby businesses at the Star Estate were some of the main culprits, with car parts and other fly tipping being thrown directly over the fence."

"An attempt to burn the fly tipped waste to disguise the evidence was foiled and robust action was taken against the culprits with fines aned stop notices issued."

At the same time, funding was applied for to install target hardening measures at the top and bottom of the lane and the process was begun to change the status of the lane to a bridleway.

A bollard preventing vehicles accessing to fly tip was placed at the top of the lane last year and the Cleaning and Greening Team used the graveyard digger to clear 34 tonnes of fly tipping before a horse gate was installed at the Biggins Lane end of Sandy Lane this year."

Cllr Muldowney said: "When the weather improves, there will be a final fly tip clearance to make sure the lane is safe for horses to access."

"Then, we hope the initail vision of Sandy Lane becoming a beautiful nature walk and bridleway for horse riders will be finally realised."

"Anyone who is willing to give up a couple of hours to help me with a community litter pick on the lane in the Spring, should get in touch via email [email protected] or by phone on 07919 004698."