Trafford Council steps up fines for fly-tipping and brings in more cameras

Trafford Council has stepped up its zero-tolerance policy, more than doubling fines for offences, and investing in more detection technology.

Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) have gone up from £450 to £1,000 for offences such as leaving rubbish on roads, including next to street litter bins.

Court action will continue to be taken for more serious instances involving larger quantities of waste, and the Council has the power to seize and crush cars and vans involved.

Meanwhile, high-tech kit including another 21 infra-red mobile cameras is now bolstering the Council’s detection capability. The tough, versatile cameras can be installed covertly to record 24/7 and easily moved around the borough.

Aims are to turn around a rise in fly-tipping and reduce the cost of dealing with illegally dumped waste.

Fly-tipping is a problem all over the borough from residential streets and car parks to country lanes and fields. Tipped items range from household waste to mattresses and white goods – all of which can easily be left, free of charge, a Household Waste Recycling Centre.

Recent prosecutions have involved people leaving bags next to street litter bins or other dumped items in streets and alleyways, expecting them to be collected, and even unloading waste from a car in a layby near to a recycling centre.

The Council removed 2,334 incidents of fly-tipping in 2024/25, an increase of just over 11% from 23/24. The cost these clean-ups was around £90,000, a 4% increase on the previous year.

During the period, 72 people were issued with a fixed penalty notice for environmental offences and 337 businesses were served with a notice to provide documentation on correct waste disposal, resulting in 40 being issued with at least one fixed penalty notice. 

The new cameras are providing sharp video images of perpetrators and vehicle registration numbers, amounting to strong evidence for the Council to take action. In a minority of cases where individuals cannot be identified, visuals will be shared publicly in appeals for information.

The new mobile cameras will be used alongside the Council’s network of about 200 fixed cameras in Trafford which monitor and detect a wide range of criminal and anti-social behaviour as well as fly-tipping. Ignorance of Trafford’s rules on waste disposal is no defence.

Cllr Stephen Adshead, Trafford Council’s Executive Member for Highways and Environmental Services, said: 

“We have already prosecuted several people since we introduced bigger fines. There is no excuse for fly-tipping. It has a real impact on our communities, whether it happens in built-up residential areas or out in the countryside. For residents disposing of items from their own homes, there is no charge for taking them to their local recycling centre.”

Cllr Adshead continued: 

“We work hard to track down the people responsible for fly-tipping, using our extensive network of cameras and other means of detection. 

“We are delighted to add these new cameras to the technology in our armoury. Together with heavier fines we hope they will deter people from dumping rubbish and encourage them to dispose of items properly.”

Residents can find out more about recycling waste in Trafford on the Council website.