Industrial estate traders demand action as fly-tipping threatens businesses

Businesses at a Bootle industrial estate say ongoing fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour are damaging their trade, with traders calling on the council to take action to protect the area.

Companies based at Orrell Mount Industrial Estate claim the site has been plagued by piles of rubbish for around five years, with some describing the situation as “embarrassing” for customers visiting their premises.

Ian McClelland, who runs vehicle repair business Freeport Commercial Ltd, said the waste problem had become a constant issue and was putting customers off.

He said rubbish including household waste, building materials, carpets and unwanted items had been repeatedly dumped across the estate.

“It’s anything, you name it, they will just dump anything here,” Mr McClelland said.

He also raised concerns about potential health risks, including the possibility of hazardous materials being left behind.

Mr McClelland said people were using the industrial estate as a dumping ground, with some allegedly stopping in vehicles to leave waste and others treating the area as a public toilet.

“It is constant,” he said. “It stops customers coming to see us and it’s embarrassing when they do.”

Despite spending hundreds of pounds arranging cleaning and road sweeping himself, Mr McClelland said the problem continued.

He has called on Sefton Council to introduce measures such as fencing or controlled access to prevent people entering the site overnight to dump rubbish.

“All we want is a fence or possibly a gated area that stops people from visiting overnight and carrying out fly-tipping and other things,” he said.

Other businesses on the estate say they have also been affected.

Andy Wilson, director of Oriel Studios signage and display company, said the rubbish was damaging the image of businesses based there.

“It prevents our clients from wanting to come and visit us and it prevents us asking them as well,” he said.

Mr Wilson claimed some of those responsible appeared to be repeat offenders and said CCTV had shown vehicles entering the site and leaving shortly afterwards.

Sharon Smith from Everton Glass said the waste was creating a poor impression for customers.

“It’s very unsightly for customers driving through. It doesn’t represent us very well,” she said.

“The council really need to provide something.”

Andy Hayes, manager at Phoenix Safe Company, said his business had been less affected because visitors reached the premises before seeing the rubbish, but added that the area still needed to be cleaned up.

“We want it stopping because if people come here, we want it tidy,” he said.

Sefton Council said it was aware of the ongoing fly-tipping problem and that environmental enforcement officers had visited the site following complaints from businesses and councillors.

Councillor Peter Harvey said all reports of fly-tipping were investigated and that offenders could face fixed penalty fines or prosecution if evidence was found.

“Fly-tipping is selfish, disgusting and it blights our communities,” he said.

The council said officers had recovered evidence from the site and investigations were continuing.