A three-mile ditch has been dug in a Blaenau Gwent fly-tipping hot spot in a bid to prevent vehicles dumping rubbish. Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council said they commissioned the three-mile ditch on Manmoel Road to as a proactive measure to attempt to prevent fly-tipping in the area.
It comes as Manmoel Common - one of Wales' most picturesque landscapes - has been a typical spot for high volume fly-tipping that has risked animal welfare and natural wildlife habitat. Blaenau Gwent CBC said they "are doing everything" they can to prevent people fly-tipping in the area and punish those responsible.
The council was awarded capital funding from Keep Wales Tidy as part of their Caru Cymru scheme. The £15,000 grant went towards extending the ditching to prevent access to the common from the roadway and the material from the ditch was also used to form an extra barrier. The council said there was minimal disruption to the existing habitat over the 28 days the ditch took to complete.
Read more: Dozens of bags of rubbish dumped on mountain just two days after it's cleared
Upon the announcement of the ditch on social media, the council received concerns from the community as some believed it would not stop people fly-tipping, but provide a space for people to litter. However, the council have said they are working closely with the landowner to find options including the use of CCTV to support the ditching to protect the misuse of their land.
Former Councillor Keith Pritchard believes this is a step in the right direction for protecting Manmoel Common from industrial fly-tipping. He said: "The purpose of the ditch is to stop people driving off the road. It's a long unmade road that goes for miles across the top of the mountain. Trucks, tractors and trailers were going up there and driving off the road into the middle of the wilderness and unloading tyres, building materials and all sorts - now they can't drive off the road. It's not going to stop people tipping black bags in a ditch - if they really feel the need to drive that far to throw a balck bag - but it's going to stop the major industrial fly-tipping."
Speaking on their efforts to combat fly-tipping at Manmoel Common, a spokesperson from Blaenau Gwent CBC said: "Manmoel Common is an environment that locals and visitors not only attend to enjoy its landscape and beautiful views, but is home to a wide variety of flora, fauna and agricultural livestock. Unfortunately due to its remoteness but ease of access the common has long been a hot spot for high-volume fly-tipping that has blighted its attraction and put at risk its habitat and animal welfare.
"The Council is not the landowner of the common but have responsibility for the roadway that crosses the common and have therefore worked closely with the Land owner to investigate ways in which to reduce or prevent fly-tipping. There is already ditching in place along large sections of the route and it was identified that the hot spot areas were in locations with no ditching where vehicles could access the common land and tip/unload.
"Therefore, the successful £15,000 funding application was to extend the ditching to prevent access to the common from the roadway. In addition, the material excavated from the ditch was used to form and additional barrier of access. It was important that there was minimal disruption and impact on the existing environment and habitat. The work took around 28 days to complete.
"The remoteness of the site makes the use of equipment such as CCTV difficult, however as this was a partnership project with the landowner they are in the process of investigating options including the use of CCTV to support the ditching to in an effort to protect the misuse of their land.
"We have been extremely grateful to KWT for the funding and the positive impact the Caru Cymru project is having on improving our communities."
Read next:
- Man dies after police called to medical emergency outside Tesco supermarket
- Cardiff hostel plagued by drug users and anti-social behaviour goes up for sale
- A 90s and noughties throwback music festival is coming to the Valleys
- The 100 coldest neighbourhoods in Wales where the poorest people live in the draughtiest homes
- Council warning as several elderly people are out of pocket after being targeted by rogue traders
