Croydon fly-tipping reports soar, but fines remain low

Bensham Manor ward in Croydon registered 8,774 reported fly-tipping incidents between January and July 2026, making it the borough's most affected area. Brigstock Road was identified as the street with the highest number of waste dumping reports, totalling 750 during the same period. These figures were presented ahead of a Croydon Council Streets and Environment Scrutiny Sub-Committee meeting on Monday, September 14.

Reasons for high reporting numbers

Graham Mitchell, a local resident and activist, suggested that the high reporting figures in Bensham Manor may be influenced by the ward's housing composition. He noted a significant number of rental properties and shops with residential flats above, particularly around Brigstock Road. Residents in these flats often use black bin bags for waste, which are placed on pavements for collection by contractor Veolia. Mitchell believes these bags can sometimes be mistaken for fly-tipped waste, inflating the reported numbers. He also indicated that unclear guidance on when to place waste bags out for collection could lead to reports of what might appear to be fly-tipping.

Councillor Alasdair Stewart, Croydon Council's Cabinet Member for Streets and Enforcement, acknowledged that high reporting levels can distort the figures. He stated that a small number of individuals submit a large volume of reports, including duplicates and routine street cleaning issues, which do not represent actual fly-tipping.

Enforcement and fines

Concerns have been raised about the council's enforcement efforts. Between April 2025 and March 2026, Croydon Council issued 319 environmental fixed penalty notices (FPNs). However, only one of these was specifically classified as 'Illegal depositing waste (fly-tipping)', resulting in a £1,000 fine issued in February 2026 in the Woodside ward. Mitchell described this ratio as 'hopeless' and questioned the effectiveness of the system for catching fly-tippers, suggesting the council's 'zero tolerance' approach is merely a slogan.

Councillor Stewart stated that the council's 'zero tolerance' approach is not just a slogan. He explained that the council makes reporting easy through the Love Clean Streets app, which contributes to higher reported numbers but allows for 90% of reported fly-tips to be cleared within 24 hours. He added that prosecutions or FPNs are issued only when offender evidence is available. The council is increasing targeted enforcement through its 'Caught on Camera' scheme, additional patrols, mobile CCTV, and focused action at known hotspots.

Mitchell called for greater enforcement and clearer communication from the council, emphasising the need to see visible action and deterrents to improve the borough's fly-tipping record.