New guidance to help councils crack down on waste crime has been issued today after new statistics showed there were 1.26 million incidents of fly-tipping last year.
In West Berkshire there were 1,043 reported incidents, including 74 tipper truck dumps.
The local breakdown shows 468 were on highways, 41 on footpaths and bridleways, 118 on council land and 297 on private property.
Items dumped included 47 white goods, 60 car tyres, 70 construction tips and 75 black bag waste bags left. The figures also show 329 other household goods, 386 small van loads and 100 transit van loads.
The ENV24 statistics released by DEFRA for 2024-25 also show there were 52,000 fly-tipping incidents in England larger than a tipper-lorry load — up from 31,000 in the year before the pandemic.
The new guidance will tell councils how to identify, seize and crush vehicles used to dump waste. Councils are expected to name and shame those involved on social media and to share images and videos of vehicles being crushed. It offers the first comprehensive overview for councils, with guidance on disposing of seized vehicles, taking cases to court and securing convictions, and recommends overt and covert surveillance such as CCTV, drones and Automatic Number Plate Recognition.
Circular economy minister Mary Creagh said: "We are empowering local authorities to clamp down on waste cowboys and restore pride in our local areas.
"I share the public's fury at seeing our streets, parks and fields used as dumping grounds.
"Fly-tippers should know – if you use your van to trash our countryside, don't be surprised when it ends up on the scrapheap.
"This Government is investing in cutting-edge technology and boosting Environment Agency funding to put more waste crime officers on the ground, while introducing tougher checks and penalties for those who break the law."
Councils across England already have powers to seize vehicles involved in fly-tipping.
Niki Hinman, Local Democracy Reporter
