KEIGHLEY MP Robbie Moore has declared war on fly tippers following a host of incidents during the coronavirus lockdown.

“Enough is enough,” he said after receiving a deluge of complaints from people living across the Keighley and Ilkley constituency.

He branded the fly tippers as selfish criminals for dumping waste in back streets and across beautiful countryside during the coronavirus epidemic .

Criticising dumpers for burdening Bradford Council during tough times, he raged: “Why should others have to your rubbish?

“Have some respect for the hard-working individuals who have to come along and clean up your mess.”

Mr Moore said many local beauty spots had seen waste being dumped on a commercial scale, and this had included field gateways, country lanes, parks and some quieter back streets.

He added: “The fact that our local refuse centres are closed at the moment is no excuse to go on dumping your waste on other people’s property or down back streets, with the expectation that it is then someone else’s problem.

“It angers me that these criminals, and that is exactly what they are, feel it is totally acceptable to do this.

“We are lucky to have the most beautiful countryside around us, and our towns, villages and hamlets are all supported by brilliant communities.

“Why should others have to put up with looking at the rubbish you don’t want in your home? It is also harmful to our environment and wildlife.

“Our domestic refuse collectors are working exceptionally hard at the moment during these tough times and I can’t thank them enough for all their continued efforts.

“I have asked Bradford Council to look at opening refuse sites where it is possible to do so, but in the meantime, any fly-tipping is wholly unacceptable. Local authorities are under enough pressure as it is without having to deal with dumped waste as well.”

Mr Moore said that finds up to £50,000 and 12 months in prison could handed out by magistrates’ courts for fly tipping, however these penalties are rare.

Mr Moore spoke only weeks after councillors Adrian Naylor and Rebecca Whitaker, who both sit on Bradford and Silsden councils, highlighted incidents of fly tipping on the outskirts of Silsden.

Bradford Council’s leadership last week called for clarity from central government amid what it called conflicting government guidance as to whether household waste and recycling sites could safely reopen.

Cllr Sarah Ferriby, Executive Member for Healthy People and Places, said: “We want to get our household waste and recycling centres open as soon as it is possible to do so safely. So we are currently drawing up plans to reopen the sites. 

“However, we need clarity on this issue because different Government departments’ advice conflicts with each other. 

“To make sure that we can once more open the sites the Department of Health and Public Health England will need to change their directive which currently states that the public should ‘only go outside for food, health reasons or work (but only if you cannot work from home)’.

“Travelling to deposit waste items at household waste and recycling sites is not currently one of the acceptable reasons for leaving home. To clarify this position, Government will need to change the directive to the public on essential travel.

“We accept that this is a national crisis and that things are moving very quickly but it would be good to have this clarified as quickly as possible so that we might make the right decision locally. 

“The safety of our residents and staff will always come first as we strive to continue the best possible services.”