THE company which owns and runs a giant landfill site at Bradley has vowed to work with local residents to become a good neighbour.
Ian Fenny, Bradley Park Waste Management operations manager, says that the firm has already taken stringent steps to improve life for local people – including banning some drivers from using the site.
The company, which owns and runs the 24-acre landfill site at the end of Lower Quarry Road, has issued all drivers from companies using the waste disposal facility with a code of conduct.
This document includes issues such as permitted hours of arrival, speed restrictions and courtesy to local residents, drivers and walkers.
Mr Fenny said: “We issue every single driver with a driver instruction document, which they have to sign. We also regularly speak to drivers and ask them to keep their speed down.
“We are making is quite clear what is acceptable and what is not. The drivers have to be respectful to local people and we ask that they don’t enter Lower Quarry Road until just before 8am.
“We have already barred a few drivers and are working very hard to become a good neighbour.”
His comments follow complaints to the Examiner from people living in or near Lower Quarry Road.
They are unhappy about speeding, noisy lorries, some of which turn up as early at 6.30am, despite the waste site not opening until 8am.
Bradley Park Waste Management took over the landfill site and resumed tipping operations in January 2011, after it had been closed for many months. The 24-acre site is in a semi-rural location at the end of Lower Quarry Road.
The Environment Agency licence allows over 25,000 tonnes of all forms of waste, including hazardous material, to be tipped there over the next 17 years in up to 60 lorries a day.
According to Mr Fenny, the site will have been filled before that date and the area will become a country park.
Some disused areas have already been returned to woodland. The site was originally owned by ICI and has been in operation for more than 40 years.
He said that Bradley Park was one of the highest engineered landfill sites with one of the best lining systems for hazardous waste, such as asbestos, in the UK.
He said: “We operate to very high standards and we will not shirk our responsibilities.
“We are here to listen, we are going to be neighbours for some years and we want to be good neighbours.”
He added that the firm could only control speed on its stretch of the road. It had set a speed limit of 15mph and it was planning to introduce speed bumps.
The stretch near the residents’ houses was subject to a 30mph council speed limit.
He added that the firm had the road swept regularly and every week gave residents tokens for a local car wash.
In addition, managers are hoping to set up a liaison committee to discuss issues with local people with a view to resolving any complaints.
