More than 100 tonnes of fly-tipped waste cleared from Bradford’s unadopted streets

More than 100 tonnes of illegally dumped waste has been removed from unadopted streets in Bradford over the past year, councillors have been told.

An update due to be presented to Bradford Council’s Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee outlines the scale of the issue and the challenges involved in dealing with fly-tipping on land the authority is not legally obliged to maintain.

Officials say waste dumped on unadopted roads and alleyways continues to place pressure on council services. While the council has no statutory duty or dedicated budget to clear waste from private land, leaving it in place can lead to serious community impacts, including health risks and pest infestations.

The report states: “Fly-tipping on unadopted back streets is still causing pressure on the service. There are many complexities where unadopted backs are concerned and the council do not have a statutory obligation or budget to remove this waste.”

Each case is assessed individually. Where possible, sites are investigated to identify those responsible, with enforcement teams pursuing any available leads. The council is urging residents to assist by sharing information and supporting the deployment of cameras to help catch offenders.

Residents are also encouraged to remove litter from unadopted land outside their homes where appropriate. In some cases, the council works collaboratively with local people, neighbourhood wardens and the dedicated People Can team to organise clean-up days.

Until recently, waste cleared from unadopted areas had not been tracked separately. However, new monitoring introduced last year has revealed the true scale of the problem. According to the report, 70 loads of waste were removed from unadopted back streets and community clean-ups in the past year, amounting to around 100 tonnes.

The issue gained public attention last year when footage of extensive dumping in a partially unadopted alley in Manningham circulated online. The council subsequently cleared the site and confirmed it would seek to recover costs from the landowner.

The figures underline both the strain on council resources and the importance of community cooperation in tackling illegal dumping across Bradford’s unadopted areas.