National Highways and Mid Devon District Council have issued an appeal for information following a fly-tipping incident which has blocked an emergency access route on the M5 in Devon.
The fly-tipping, believed to have occurred on two separate occasions, has rendered the emergency access road unusable should police and National Highways need to release incident-trapped traffic between junctions 28 (Cullompton) and 29 (Honiton, Exeter Airport).
The emergency turning point at Little Copse can be accessed via a police viewing platform on the southbound carriageway, opening on to the B3181 local authority road, but has been out of action due to the blockage illustrated here.
The rubbish, including an oil central heating tank, oil drum, asbestos sheeting, sofa and other furniture, will cost Mid Devon District Council’s teams in excess of £4,500 to remove and dispose of.
Emma Bazeley, National Highways Maintenance Service Manager for the South West, said: “The items look like they’ve come from a house clearance and anyone who’s paid a company to dispose of their rubbish appropriately may well recognise them.
“If anyone does recognise the items, they can get in touch with us and we can notify the relevant authorities. It’s totally irresponsible to do this, they’ve not only put ours and police operations at risk but it can pose a risk to wildlife and the environment and it’s costly to remove.
“Clearing litter from our roads costs the taxpayer millions of pounds a year, and it’s a cost local authorities can ill afford.”
Caption: The police viewing platform and turning point alongside the southbound carriageway
The access gate from the motorway is securely locked but those responsible for the fly-tipping have managed to gain access to the site via a gate alongside the B3181.
National Highways and police have been unable to use the emergency access road since the blockage was discovered, in the meantime the company is securely locking the second access gate, has pruned back and cleared vegetation obscuring views, and liaised with the local authority to clear the debris.
Councillor Josh Wright, Mid Devon District Council’s Cabinet Member for Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement said: “It’s incredibly frustrating to see fly-tipping on this scale, particularly somewhere so important.
“As well as harming the environment, it’s costly to clear up and has caused disruption to an emergency access route which could have serious consequences if access is needed during an incident.
“Our teams are working with partners to get the site cleared as quickly and safely as possible. We’d ask anyone with information to come forward and remind people to always check anyone taking away waste is licensed to dispose of it properly.”
If anyone has any information on the incident in the meantime, they can contact Mid Devon District Council’s customer services team on 01884 255255, National Highways’ Customer Contact Centre on 0300 123 5000 or email the company’s regional enquiries team at southwestenquiries@nationalhighways.co.uk. And for any maintenance issues, people can file a report on the company’s website.
