Waste carrier clampdown
A joint council and police operation took place last week as part of a clampdown on rogue waste operators.
The latest multi-agency operation involved Dudley Council’s Waste & Licensing Enforcement Officers, West Midlands Police, Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and the Environment Agency.
The main focus of the joint approach was to ensure vehicles were safe and compliant with the law in relation to taxis and waste carriers, but the team was also checking for roadworthiness, insurance, licencing and vehicle tax.
Vehicles were stopped by uniformed police and taken to an examination site for the relevant checks to be undertaken.
As a result five vehicles were subject to immediate suspension and told to go immediately to a garage for repairs, two were seized as being un-roadworthy, one person was arrested for various offences, six vehicles were subject to offences including no insurance, faulty tyres, faulty lights and driving licence and six taxis were stopped of which two were suspended and four released with no action required. Vehicles carrying any type of waste were spoken to and advised accordingly.
Councillor Karen Shakespeare, cabinet member for public realm said:
We are finding this joint way of working with our partners is a really productive way to clamp down on drivers who are operating illegally, whether it’s transporting waste without a licence, driving without insurance or driving an unroadworthy vehicle, or a more significant offence.
By working together we can help to crack down on these irresponsible and in some case dangerous drivers to help make our roads and communities safer.