RUBBISH weighing up to 13 tonnes was collected from the highways in a bid to crackdown on illegal fly-tipping.

Waste collectors from Wokingham Borough Council cleared away litter and car tyres from the side of the A329M roads to help the environment.

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The team spent a week avoiding the morning and evening rush-hour commutes to remove five tonnes of dumped car tyres and eight tonnes of general litter.

Susan Parsonage, the council’s chief executive, said: "We know most people take their responsibility to dispose of their waste seriously, and do so correctly, but some still insist on dumping litter and rubbish illegally.

"Clearing this criminally fly-tipped waste from this difficult location is time consuming and creates unnecessary disruption on the road network."

Localities officers from the council has also met with local businesses to check they are complying with waste disposal laws.

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More than 100 businesses have been visited and 37 have been issued with notices to provide the correct documents within 14 days to show they are getting rid of their waste correctly.

Failure to respond in this timeframe means a £300 penalty notice.

So far, 6 businesses have received a fine.

The clearance was part of the borough council's project to get rid of illegal fly-tipping and prevent resident's and businesses to do so again.

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Nationally, fly-tipping has increased so the council is making sure people know it is their own legal responsibility to ensure their waste is disposed correctly.

Cllr Parsonage added: “Household and businesses waste must only be given to a registered waste carrier and we’re implementing a range of measures to prevent and enforce against fly-tipping as we continue to tackle this blight on our borough.”

Council officers will continue to visit businesses in the upcoming months to ensure waste measures are being enforced properly.