British countryside campaigner in tire fly-tipping crusade

ERJ staff report (TP)

Norfolk, UK − Nigel Ford, from Hardingham in Norfolk, estimates there are about 2,000 old tires scattered around the county in beauty spots, footpaths, lay-bys, ditches and central reservations, reported Chris Hill from the Eastern Daily Press.

Ford said he stumbled across many of the degraded rubber eyesores during his other ongoing project to restore the region’s historic milestones – and decided to do something about it.

After surpassing his original goal of collecting 100 tires, he re-doubled his efforts and set himself a new task of making Norfolk the first English county to have a “zero tolerance policy” on the fly-tipping of tires.

Ford has written to the Campaign to Protect Rural England, Norfolk County Council, all of Norfolk’s MPs and even to Prince Charles – which encouraged a supportive reply from Clarence House wishing him “continued success in his endeavours”.

After collecting his 200th tire from a lay-by, Ford said: “Initially I was going around the countryside tidying up milestones and I thought it was horrible to keep stumbling across fly-tipped tires.

“Since the beginning of the year, I have collected 200, which I believe is a tenth of them.

“The 10 percent I have collected may not sound like much, but if everybody did a percentage then I am sure there is enough will-power for Norfolk to rid itself of all fly-tipped used tires. I really believe that Norfolk could be the first county in England to have a zero tolerance policy and I believe that by working with the public and the local authorities it is realistic and achievable.”

Ford collects individual car tires himself and takes them to recycling centres. When there is a large quantity, or heavy tires from lorries and trucks, he leaves them on the side of the road and notifies district council teams to come and get them.

He urged other people to follow his example.

“If someone saw a tire and it was safe to pick it up I would encourage them to do something about it,” he said. “Unless you do something, nothing gets done.”

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Full story from the Eastern Daily Press