‘Action will be taken’ after lorry ‘dumps waste’ under motorway

An appeal has gone out for information

17:40, 18 Mar 2025

The Environment Agency has said it "will take action" after several lorry loads of rubbish were left dumped under the M53. At around 9am on March 6, Alan Howgate was walking under the M53 with his dog Bryn when he spotted a lorry dumping tonnes of waste near the railway tracks[1] on the Merseyrail[2] New Brighton[3] line under the motorway.

The area is close to the Bidston Moss nature reserve as well as the Junction One retail park.

Mr Howgate immediately began taking photographs and phoned the police on 999 at the scene as well as reporting it to Wirral[4] Council. These pictures, seen by the ECHO,[5] show at least five lorry loads of processed rubbish left there, as well as one photo of the lorry at the scene.

The case has now been passed onto the Environment Agency[6] who are leading on the investigation into the matter.

An Environment Agency Spokesperson said: "We are investigating reports of a large amount of waste being dumped under the M53 motorway near Bidston on the Wirral.

"We will take action against anyone found to be illegally disposing of waste. We would like to thank the member of the public who reported this to us. People can call our incident line on 0800 80 70 60 to report waste crime."

Mr Howgate previously told the ECHO the fly-tipping smelled and appeared to be commercial waste, adding: "It was disgusting.

They saw an opportunity to make a quick buck and just dumped the rubbish and drove off not caring."[7][8]

In the year between April 2023 and March 2024, there were 3,657 incidents in Wirral including 1,516 on highways and 1,404 in back alleyways.

3,501 investigations were carried out, a significant increase on the previous year, with nine warning letters, three statutory notice actions, and one fine.

The year before, 3,635 incidents were reported with no fines given out that year.

In September 2021, approximately nine truck loads of rubbish were left in the same area[9], prompting an investigation.

A spokesperson for Wirral Council[10] at the time said: "This is a disgraceful and extreme example of fly-tipping on what appears to be an industrial scale at a very public location."

The Environment Agency successfully took enforcement action after that flytipping occurred.

According to the organisation's website, Richard Hesketh was found "operating without or other than in accordance with an environmental permit" which related to "the deposit of mixed waste beneath Junction 1 of the M53" in Wirral on September 9 2021.

Mr Hesketh offered to "resign as a company officer and dissolve the company," "pay third party for clean-up costs," and "cover the Environment Agency's costs." This was accepted on May 22 2024.

References

1. ^ spotted a lorry dumping tonnes of waste near the railway tracks (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
2. ^ Merseyrail (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
3. ^ New Brighton (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
4. ^ Wirral (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
5. ^ seen by the ECHO, (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
6. ^ passed onto the Environment Agency (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
7. ^ told the ECHO (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
8. ^ just dumped the rubbish and drove off not caring." (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
9. ^ nine truck loads of rubbish were left in the same area (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)
10. ^ Wirral Council (www.liverpoolecho.co.uk)