Council crackdown on illegal skips

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Highways Department has launched a major crackdown to rid the County Borough’s roads of illegally placed skips.

Under the Highways Act 1980 and the Council’s own conditions for skip placements, a permit has to be obtained by the skip company from the local authority before builders’ skips can be left on the public highway.

The permit is used in order to regulate the use of skips on highways and to avoid them becoming a nuisance to pedestrians or causing traffic problems.

If a skip is discovered which does not have a valid permit, Council officers will write to the offending skip company giving them the opportunity to apply retrospectively for a permit within thee days at an increased fee. Should a company fail to respond to such a request to obtain a permit or remove the skip immediately, the Council will remove the skip without further warning.

Skip operators are required to obtain and pay for such permits and the price of a permit should be included in the skip hire costs to their customers. Members of the public, who are intending to hire a skip that will be placed on the public highway, are advised to confirm with the skip company that a permit has been obtained.

Any skips discovered that do not have the skip company’s name and contact details marked on the sides of the skip, will be removed immediately from the highway. Customers are advised not to accept such skips as they may be removed before they have a chance to use them.

If you are considering hiring a skip, the Council’s Street Works team can confirm whether a permit is required. Residents are also encouraged to contact the Street Works team to check that a permit has been issued.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Customer Care Cllr Andrew Morgan explained: “The majority of skip companies operating within the County Borough do comply with the regulation currently in place but there are some companies who do not apply for permits from the Council.

“This enforcement action is necessary to ensure that all skip operators in the County Borough are complying with the regulations in an effort to reduce the nuisance impact on pedestrians and motorists alike.”

Members of the public can report any problems or infringements with regard to skips on the highway to the Environmental Services Group on 01443 494796 or e-mail: skips&scaffolding@rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk