Multi-Agency Operation Tackles Fly-Tipping and Licensed Vehicles Compliance in Lytham

Fylde Council and partners have sent a clear message that fly-tipping, unlicensed waste carriers, and non-compliant taxis and privately owned cars have no place in our communities, after a major crackdown in Lytham last week.

On Wednesday 20 May, Fylde Council’s Environmental Protection team coordinated and attended a major multi-agency enforcement operation at Bath Street Car Park in Lytham, working alongside Lancashire Police, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), the Environment Agency and Council Licensing colleagues to tackle fly-tipping, waste crime and associated vehicle and licensing offences.

The operation was delivered under the 3 Es framework – Engage, Educate and Enforce – bringing together face-to-face advice for drivers, waste carriers and businesses with proportionate enforcement action. Officers carried out checks on vehicle tax, MOT, insurance and waste carrier registration to ensure that anyone transporting waste within Fylde holds the correct permit and is operating within the law. Licensing and roadworthiness checks were also carried out on licensed taxis to confirm they are meeting their compliance obligations and that passengers can travel with confidence.

Significant results were delivered across the operation. 30 taxis were stopped and checked, resulting in five words of advice, three verbal warnings and one suspension. Of the more than 60 additional vehicles stopped – including vans, flatbed trucks and cars – four immediate prohibition notices were issued by the DVSA, with one vehicle so severely defective it had to be towed away. A further 20 drivers were educated on vehicle defects including faulty headlights, tyres close to legal limits and number plate issues. One Fixed Penalty Notice was issued for failure to produce a waste carrier licence, and two police traffic offence reports were handed out for using a mobile phone while driving and driving without vehicle tax.

Councillor Michelle Morris, Lead Member for Customer and Operational Services, said: “Fly-tipping is not a victimless crime – it blights our open spaces, costs taxpayers money to clear up and makes people feel unsafe in their own communities. Operations like this show that we will not tolerate it. Working alongside our partners, we are taking real, visible action to protect the places our residents love.”

Councillor Chris Dixon, Lead Member for Social Wellbeing, said: “Residents using taxis in Fylde must know that the vehicles they travel in are safe, roadworthy and compliant. This operation gave us the opportunity to check exactly that, alongside our wider enforcement activity. It’s a great example of what can be achieved when agencies work together with a shared purpose.”

John Neville, Area Environment Manager for the Environment Agency, said: “We’re taking faster, more targeted action against those in the waste sector we suspect are breaking the law.

“We can’t tackle this alone and joint partnership operations such as this means we can combine our powers to stop illegal activity.

“Our collective efforts to disrupt criminals and gather intelligence helps us prevent waste crime. We’ll continue to pursue those who commit crime and harm the environment.”