The district council and police are working together to combat fly-tipping after 43 offences were recorded between April and July.

The offence, previously the sole responsibility of St Albans City and District Council, now falls to the police to deal with in partnership with the Rural Operational Support Team (ROST), the council and other agencies.

Between April 1 and July 31 there were 43 recorded offences of fly-tipping in Harpenden and Redbourn, with the ‘hotspot’ areas being Hogg End Lane and Punch Bowl Lane.

PC Jane Flemons from the Harpenden and rural neighbourhood team said: "The impact on local residents and rural communities is huge with people finding their road or access frequently blocked or the dumped waste damaging their vehicle as they try to pass.  

"There are serious health and safety issues around dumped waste as well as the enormous cost to taxpayers to clean up the fly-tipped areas."  

Flytipping cost St Albans City and District Council £11,099.53 between April and June 2014. The offence carries a maximum fine of up to £50,000.

St Albans chief Inspector Ken Townsend said: "The St Albans Community Safety Partnership (CSP) is committed to helping to reduce fly-tipping, which blights an area.  We will be purchasing covert cameras, which will be installed across the district.  Specialist training about fly-tipping and scrap metal licences has been given to police officers across the CSP by council staff and they are now in the habit of regularly checking the hotspots as part of their daily patrols." 

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the registered keeper of a vehicle is responsible for allowing their vehicle to be used to dump rubbish illegally.