Manningham councillors are demanding action after an illegal waste site remained uncleared more than a month after the Prime Minister pledged government intervention.
The huge dump off Midland Road was identified in August as one of three major illegal waste sites being considered for clearance under a government-backed scheme.
The site is estimated to contain around 2,000 tonnes of waste and was linked by ministers to organised waste crime.
But despite visits by Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Environment Secretary Dame Angela Eagle, the clean-up has yet to begin.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham vowed to crack down on illegal waste sites (Image: PA)
DEFRA update
When approached by the T&A for an update, a spokesperson for the Department for Environment, Food & Rural affairs (DEFRA) said: “In order to clear the site with no delays, we must assess it first, and together with Bradford Council we are making good progress.
“We've already shown this approach works, successfully clearing large scale illegal waste sites elsewhere in the country.
“The Prime Minister and Environment Secretary visited this site in their first few weeks in office, underlining how seriously this government takes the impact illegal waste sites have on local communities.”
Councillor response
Your Bradford Independent group councillors Muhammed Ali Islam, Mohammed Saliss and Muhammad Haseeb Khan said residents had waited long enough for action.
The illegal waste site can be found off Midland Road, Bradford (Image: T&A)
In a joint statement, they welcomed the attention the issue had received from central government but said local people now needed clear answers on when work would begin.
They said: “We understand that there are processes that need to be followed, and we appreciate the personal attention that the Prime Minister and Environment Secretary have given to this issue.”
They continued: “However, residents have already been waiting far too long, and we need to see this issue move from assessment to action.”
The councillors added that while it was encouraging to hear progress was being made behind the scenes, residents needed greater clarity on the expected timescale for clearing the site.
“People living in Manningham should not be left wondering how much longer they will have to put up with the impact of this illegal waste site,” they said.
'Patience cannot be indefinite'
The Midland Road site first came to wider public attention after concerns were raised by residents.
The illegal waste site can be found off Midland Road, Bradford (Image: T&A)
The Bradford site was included in the government's Waste Crime Action Plan, which aims to tackle large-scale illegal dumping operations and the organised criminal networks behind them.
But with no start date yet announced for the clean-up, councillors say patience within the community is beginning to wear thin.
“The people of Manningham have been patient, but patience cannot be indefinite,” they said.
“We now need a clear timeframe, clear actions and a commitment that this site will be dealt with as soon as possible.”