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Trailers full of waste left in lay-bys for months

Ellen Knight
BBC Radio Shropshire
Handout The back of a silver-white lorry trailer, with four black bales visible. There's a split in one of the bales, and you can see macerated waste inside. It's parked in a lay-by, with trees and hedges visible on the left. On the right, you can see part of the road. The photo is taken during the day and the sky is grey and cloudy.Handout
Locals told the BBC the trailers have been left in lay-bys since September

Three trailers of waste have been left in lay-bys for four months on the side of busy roads.

One man from North Shropshire said they were "filthy","full of rats" and a danger to drivers.

David, who did not give his real name over fears the trailers have been dumped by organised criminals, told the BBC the authorities "aren't bothered" despite him repeatedly reporting the trailers.

Shropshire Council confirmed there was an ongoing investigation into the trailers, involving West Mercia Police and the Environment Agency.

David said the three 40-foot trailers had been sat in lay-bys on the A53 and A41 since September.

He first spotted a trailer between Market Drayton and Shrewsbury, and pulled over to take a look.

"I looked in the back and I could see it was full of these bales - big black bales full of plastic garbage," he explained.

Two weeks later David was passing by and was shocked to see the trailers were still there.

"I was told the police weren't interested, and I got in touch with the council and they told me it wasn't their business," he said.

"Within three or four weeks, I noticed two more [trailers] had been dumped."

Handout Close-up photo of a black bale - there's a split so you can see the waste inside. There's what appears to be green twine, and some bits of red and black plastic - the rest is murky brown/beige clumps. In the background you can see part of the other bales. Handout
David said the trailers were full of bales of waste

Across the country there have been similar incidents with trailers full of baled waste dumped on the roadside.

Following similar discoveries in Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, and Staffordshire, Environment Agency officials suggested they could be linked to organised crime.

David said he contacted West Mercia Police, Shropshire Council and the Environment Agency - but after four months, nothing had been done to remove the trailers.

"Trucks can't get in the lay-by to park up when they have to by law, and [the trailers] are full of rats - it's really filthy stuff."

"Police don't seem bothered, the council's not bothered, the [Environment Agency] aren't bothered - they're not going after these serious criminals," he said.

"It's going to cost the taxpayers in the end - and that's why we have to put up with things like potholes."

Trailers dumped on the A38

A spokesperson for Shropshire Council said the authority was "aware of the presence of trailers alongside the A53" but was unable to comment further "as there is an ongoing criminal investigation by West Mercia Police and the Environment Agency, and the council is awaiting the outcome of that investigation."

West Mercia Police told the BBC it was "working with Shropshire Council and the Environmental Agency to resolve the issue."

They added: "It is believed two of the vehicles abandoned had previously been reported stolen.

"Enquiries have been carried out into the theft, however no-one has been arrested."

The Environment Agency stated: "We are investigating this illegal dumping of waste along with similar cases in the Midlands."

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