This year, Bedford Borough Council has already secured £7,000 in fines for environmental crimes, including fly-tipping, vehicle abandonment, and highway obstruction after multiple successful prosecutions.
The cases, heard at Luton Magistrates Court in January, saw offenders ordered to pay fines, costs and victim surcharges.
Vasilica Cojic was found guilty and ordered to pay £2,014 after a van-sized amount of waste traced to her was found dumped near Cople.
Brenda Doherty pleaded guilty to dumping parts of a broken sofa on Ampthill Road in July 2025 and was ordered to pay £2,072.
GTG Civils Ltd of Tilbury in Essex was found guilty in their absence and ordered to pay £3,540 after abandoning a silver Peugeot on Ampthill Road, Bedford, in February last year.
Finally, Tim Sage of Bedford was ordered to pay £1,424 for obstructing the highway by leaving an unattached caravan parked on Firbank Road for an extended period of time.
Speaking about the cases, cllr Phillippa Martin-Moran-Bryant (Conservative/Great Barford), portfolio holder for housing and regulatory services, said Bedford Borough Council will do all it can to bring offenders to justice.
“These prosecutions send a clear message: Bedford Borough Council will not tolerate acts that damage our environment or blight our communities,” she said.
“Fly-tipping and vehicle abandonment are not victimless crimes; they harm our neighbourhoods and cost the public.
“By standing firm and taking offenders to court, we are protecting our local environment and supporting residents who take pride in where they live.”
Dispose of waste correctly
Large household items can be taken to Bedford Borough’s Household Waste Recycling Centre at Barkers Lane for free, and bulky waste collections can be booked online for a convenient home collection.
The Council can also remove and dispose of unwanted vehicles (including caravans) for a charge.
More information can be found on the council website at the following pages:
- Household Waste Recycling Centre: bedford.gov.uk/hwrc
- Bulky waste collections: bedford.gov.uk/bulkywaste
- Unwanted vehicles: bedford.gov.uk/unwanted-vehicles
Locals can report fly-tipping and other environmental crimes at bedford.gov.uk/Fly-Tipping.
