Sunderland City Council seize a vehicle in Ryhope after suspecting it was involved in fly tipping

The van was picked up from outside an address in Ryhope on Thursday April 9, after it was allegedly involved in a number of fly-tipping incidents across Sunderland.

This follows four similar seizures, where vehicles believed to have been used in fly-tipping were removed from outside addresses after reportedly being used in similar offences, which has resulted in one vehicle being crushed and another waiting to be destroyed.

It comes after a number of fly-tipping incidents, some at Sunderland beauty spots, have been reported in recent weeks.Councils have powers to apply for forfeiture orders, which allows them to confiscate any vehicle they suspect has been involved in environmental crime or fly tipping.Owners can request to claim their vehicle back and the council will decide as to whether the vehicle will be returned. If a decision is made not to return the vehicle this could result in the vehicle being crushed or sold.

Councillor Amy Wilson Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We remain committed to tackling fly tipping despite being in a national emergency because we’re very aware of the blight it has on neighbourhoods across our city and are determined to take action against this.

“That is why when we have evidence to suspect that a vehicle has been involved in fly tipping, we can and we will seize it and we follow up with legal action. And, if the owner doesn’t come forward within a certain period of time, we will look to use our legal powers to either crush it or sell it.”

The Sunderland Echo is continuing to run its Clean Streets campaign aimed at cleaning up Wearside.

We’re encouraging people to keep the city tidy, report litter and dumping, and do their bit to make Sunderland a cleaner, greener space.

Sunderland City Council has also been flexing its powers to show perpetrators they will not get away with blighting the streets and open spaces of our city.

A string of prosecutions and other action has been taken against illegal dumpers, litter-droppers and those who hire unscrupulous operators to take away their waste.

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