Fly-tipped rubbish is building up at the Broadstairs railway station car park once again, with town mayor Cllr Mike Garner suggesting temporary CCTV should now be installed.
Cllr Garner says the build up items being dumped by the bins has built up over the last month or so and is a combination of rubbish from residents and businesses.
The site has had fly-tip issues in the past with a mountain of rubbish building up at Christmas 2024 and , the year before, the recycling point becoming buried under a mountain of card, paper and bagged waste. This was cleared – only to become piled up again in less than 24 hours.
Cllr Garner said: “There seems to have been a significant increase in the amount of, what is in fact, fly tipping next to the recycling bins in the station car park over the last month or two.
“While much of this is business waste, none of which should be dumped here, some is from residents. If the bins are full, please come back later when they are empty (they are emptied most days) or take it to one of the Margate Household Waste Recycling Centre.
“I have written to council officers asking for action to be taken. Where addresses are visible, businesses should be contacted.
“ I believe it is also time for temporary CCTV to be installed as a deterrent. With the Summer season starting at the weekend with our fabulous Food Festival I believe it’s important that visitors are not greeted with piles of rubbish.”
Resident Sean Cates, who photographed the mess this morning, says he brought up the idea of CCTV last year and believes the costs would be cheaper than that for continually clearing rubbish from the site.
He said: “Residents need to be listened to. This has been going on for too long now and nothing has been done to deter it.”
Fixed Penalty Notices
A Thanet council spokesperson said: “Large recycling bins are in place at the St Peters Park Road car park in Broadstairs for residents to use. These are checked seven days per week and emptied when necessary. A large amount of rubbish has been dumped around them, and council workers have carried out an increased number of clearances since the start of the year.
“We continue to monitor the waste provision in this location and remove additional rubbish as required. While the council has a duty to provide a waste collection service, it is also the responsibility of householders and businesses to ensure that their rubbish is disposed of correctly.
“Our Street Cleansing teams work hard to keep on top of fly-tipping – which is a criminal offence – but it’s an ongoing issue. Fly-tipping can lead to a £1,000 fixed penalty notice, and Streetscene Enforcement officers work every day to tackle this illegal activity; we will prosecute those responsible.
“We encourage residents to report issues with littering and fly-tipping online at: www.thanet.gov.uk/fly-tipping
“Although CCTV cameras can be used in public places, they are subject to legislation and codes of practice. They can only be installed where they would be considered a necessary and proportionate response. The council will continue to monitor the situation in this location.”
Hmmm, how about less camera action and more bin action? I wouldn’t call that fly tipping whatsoever, I would call that recycling without the proper means to do so TDC/KCC!
If it’s commercial waste, which both the article and the photo suggests most of it is, then it very much is flytipping. TDC provides bins and waste collection for domestic waste only.
We’ve just been done to Broadstairs seafront, the bins are overflowing everywhere, seagulls having a smorgasbord!
COUNCIL SIMPLY DOES NOT GIVE A S–T. NO WONDER THANET IS NOW A SAD DUMP.
It’s the whole country, every town. I wonder how their gates communities look though ?
That Car Park and train station is usually filthy, looking and resembles a dump so maybe the the person thought it was a dump.Local bins are emptied in Broadstairs between 9.00am and 10am and usually full by midday.So they have a full 20 hours of people living stuff by the bin or cramming their waste in.In comes the the birds and wind and its all down our streets.The seafront is full of rats.Its pretty simple Council leaders we need more bins.Labour isnt working.
The seafront at Broadstairs is full of rats.Overflowing bins and poor cleaning practice is the reason.
I cant believe Health and Safety would allow a Food Festival to take place.Maybe they should be notified as the rats have been there for a year.
I totally agree , there was Rats running around this afternoon near the bandstand/ victoria gardens yet it’s a big food festival from Friday, Rats will have a lovely treat and free!
Get the hawk guy in or a ratter with his dogs.
Good point. No buying food for me at the food festival.
if you ever go there ? , its clear where 90% of it is coming from . sometimes there are stinking fish boxes ( obviously not from private dwellings ) which are clearly from a food oulet or fish & chip shops , and piles of fitted kitchen and bathroom boxes which are from local builders , who no doubt bill thier customers for the removal of the waste , i 100% support the camera option .
I think the rubbish should be checked to look for any contact details address etc
There people need to be caught and named.
They have no regard for the area they are doing business in .
They should be made to pay
Rats have been living in the bushes down the front for more than a year.
They are big and healthy too.
If you would inform on a paedophile, you should grass- up a fly-tipper too!
Leave the rats alone… the car park is a dangerous place to go .. avoid
The council are waiting for more unpaid volunteers to do the job for free. Like they do the litter pickers.
Leave the rats alone !
Just passed the Food Festival.Bins all overflowing.Litter everywhere.
I think it should now be called the Litter festival.
TDC got what’s coming to ’em. They restricted the disposal of waste during COVID by introducing a booking system which adds a layer of inconvenience to the rights of residents to dispose of their waste.
Add to that per bag charges for rubble for anything deemed builders’ waste. Once the COVID pandemic passed, there was no return to the old system of flexibility.
Now there isn’t a day where there’s flytipped waste down some unmonitored country lane. Now those councils are having to clear it up at immense cost.
Tip: make absolutely sure there are no labels, receipts or identifying information whether or not you use a licensed waste carrier; let us revel in imagining their desperation spending time looking for any document they can use to submit wishful fines.