The news yesterday that Sheffield Council is to prosecute Susanne Briggs and Lee Mayfield for not seeking planning permission for their illegal scrap yard has caused the spectre of dodgy scrap yards to rear its ugly head. The pair that lives in Shiregreen, Sheffield, have turned their neighbourhood into a nightmare for local residents. The street that they live on is both residential and narrow and yet at times it is reported that there have been up to 15 vehicles at once parked along its suburban verges waiting to unload scrap metal, wood and tyres at the address.
This situation has been going on for two years according to some local residents and has meant that the street has been reduced to the status of a lorry strewn scrap yard. Sheffield Council have attended the site to gain photographic evidence to support the legal action that they are currently undertaking. This consists of prosecution by the city’s magistrate’s court for ignoring a notice to seek planning permission for their unauthorised operation and a separate notice to cease their activities issued by the council. Failure to comply with these requirements could see the pair served with an injunction and in the worst case scenario further prosecution and a fine.
The vehicle dismantling industry has taken a lot of action over the last 10 years to clean up its image and to conform to new laws regarding waste disposal and vehicle dismantling codes of conduct. The perception two decades ago of the scrap yard as a place best left to big men with oily clothes and Alsatian dogs has by and large disappeared to be replaced more and more by the new breed of efficient vehicle dismantlers that make their profit by correctly disposing of vehicle waste through dismantling for car and van spares and selling separated metals and plastics to recycling facilities that buy quality raw material for their processes. This story does nothing to help the progress of most of the industries ‘good guys’.
The owner of United vans commented “This story has nothing good in it as regards our industry’s reputation. These people have made a quick buck at the expense of their environment and neighbours peace and quiet. The fact that it has taken two years for this to come to legal proceedings is the most shocking part of it. We, as an industry, have enough pressure on us to clean up our act, without this sort of negative publicity. Long gone are the days of the fly-by-night scrap man and quite rightly so, from many different perspectives, not least the environmental impact, this sort of operation has to be stamped out and stamped out quite firmly. If you have an old vehicle for disposal just look out for the ‘vans wanted‘ signs around your local town or city and take it there, check that they have the relevant licences to do what they do and allow your old vehicle to meet its final resting place knowing that perhaps some of it will end up as car or van parts for someone else’s vehicle – lengthening the life of their vehicle by the demise of yours.”
The current attitude towards responsible living with regard to our environment is an ever growing attitude for many today. The responsibility for disposing of our waste rests with all of us. So do the right thing whenever you dispose of anything other than household rubbish. Find out where to get rid of it safely and recycle where possible. It’s up to all of us!
For Further Information Please Contact:
United Vans.
T: 01761 452177 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting 01761 452177 end_of_the_skype_highlighting
F: 01761 453993
sales@unitedvans.com
www.UnitedVans.com
Tags: scrap yard, van parts, van spares, vehicle dismantling



