A KIDDERMINSTER flytipper has been fined after his dumped waste caused a Hartlebury road to be closed for almost an hour.

James Loveridge, 24, of Cobham Road, pleaded guilty at a hearing at Worcester Magistrates Court on July 28 and was fined for failing to exercise his duty of care in the disposal of waste, following Wychavon District Council’s investigation into flytipping in Summerway Lane, in Hartlebury.

Loveridge admitted at interview that he received £120 for the job and had arranged for two men to dispose of garden waste and believed that it would be taken to an authorised site.

Magistrates noted that Loveridge held his own Waste Carrier’s Licence so would have understood his duty of care. They also noted that he had a recent conviction for a similar offence in another part of the country.

Magistrates fined Loveridge £430, with a victim surcharge of £43 and awarded the Wychavon costs in full amounting to £1,440.

This fly tip required Worcestershire County Council to close Summerway Lane for 45 minutes while they cleared the items and made it safe for the public to use.

Sharon Casswell, client services manager for Wychavon, said: “Fly tipping is a growing problem in the Wychavon area and 2015/16 we spent around £50,000 in enforcement and clean-up costs.

“We cannot stress enough that every time residents use someone to remove their waste that they check the person doing it is a registered waste carrier and will take your waste to a licensed disposal facility.

“Do not be tempted to use anyone without checking, as if your waste ends up fly tipped and you might get a fine of up to £10,000.

“If you are in any doubt check that the trader or company are registered, go on the Environment Agency’s website and search for public registers or a link can be found on by searching ‘waste carrier licence Wychavon’.”