A service road blighted by fly-tipping has been cleared up using money confiscated from criminals.
The stretch of road between Hazel Tree Road and St Albans Road in North Watford is constantly hit by fly-tippers.
It's had to be cleared three times this year already of household waste, materials, black bags, shopping trolleys, fridges, and general rubbish.
The most recent clean-up was paid for by the Fly Tipping on Private Land Fund, run by the office of the Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC).
As the fly-tipping took place on an unregistered road, the £735 cost of the clear-up would have fallen to residents and business.
The clean-up operations were paid for by the PCC using a fund that was generated by the Proceeds of Crime Act. This is money that has been confiscated from criminals and put back into crime fighting and victim initiatives.
Hertfordshire Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd said: "Fly tipping is one of the crimes I hear most from the public. It blights our communities and causes substantial cost to innocent people, poses a danger to road users, livestock and wildlife.
"The fund was set up as I believe it is not right that businesses who are the victim of fly tipping are liable to pick up the considerable costs involved."
North Watford county councillor Asif Khan has been reporting issues on this service road for ever since he was elected in 2011. He has used his locality budget in the past to get the area cleaned up.
He said: "It is good news this has been cleared up but it doesn’t solve the root problem. This is a hotspot and in thee months it will be full again.
"The culprits need to be prosecuted and the road needs to be adopted. No one has been taking responsibility to clean it up.
"This is the third clean-up this year. There should be a zero tolerance to flytipping."
The PCC office says Watford Borough Council has investigated the most recent flytip for clues on who may have been responsible.
The council has found evidence which could be used in prosecution. Penalties include imprisonment, fines, orders of compensation for waste removal and seizure of the vehicles used to tip.
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