A council drive to stop shopfronts from becoming fly-tipping dumping grounds moves into its ninth area of the borough later this month.

From 21 August, council officers will start limiting the times that Coulsdon businesses can leave out their waste for private collection to cut the chances of fly-tippers adding their own rubbish. Called time-banded waste collection, the scheme is designed to make local areas more attractive and also ensure shopkeepers have a proper business waste disposal contract with a private company.

The Coulsdon phase begins along Brighton Road and Chipstead Valley Road, where shopkeepers will no longer be able to leave their business waste on the pavement between 8am and 5pm. Other parts of Coulsdon will be considered for future phases.

Piloted in Thornton Heath High Street last year as part of the council’s Don’t Mess With Croydon – Take Pride campaign, the scheme extended along London Road shops in West Croydon, Thornton Heath and Norbury, where officers reported 75 tonnes’ less rubbish being dumped in one month.

Since December, the scheme has extended to parts of South Norwood, Upper Norwood, Selhurst, South Croydon and Purley. Almost 190 businesses in these areas that previously did not have a proper waste licence with a private waste contractor now have one. In participating streets in South Norwood, the number of reported fly-tips in May this year halved to 15 compared to May 2016.

Enforcement is led by council neighbourhood safety officers, who visit shopkeepers to check they have a commercial waste licence and are following the new rules. A specialist fly-tipping response team focuses on identifying fly-tippers and issuing them with fixed penalty notices.

As with the other areas in the borough that already have time-banded waste collection, council officers will send leaflets and go on door-to-door visits in Coulsdon in advance over the coming weeks to inform locals and encourage shopkeepers to get involved.

“We all have a responsibility to do our bit for the local environment, and this scheme helps both Croydon shopkeepers and their neighbours.

“Areas already covered by this scheme are tidier with fewer fly-tips reported, and I look forward to even more local businesses working closely with the council to improve the borough’s streets.”

Councillor Stuart Collins, deputy leader – Clean Green Croydon

The Don’t Mess With Croydon – Take Pride campaign combines getting local people to become community champions with enforcement against the worst offences.  As well as prosecuting over 150 people in court since launching the initiative in summer 2014, the council has also signed up more than 300 community champions who lead litter picks.

To report a fly-tip confidentially, use the My Croydon app, notify the council through My Account, call 0208 604 7000 or email flytip@croydon.gov.uk