SkipandBin.com managing director Jason Mohr said that five out of 10 of the worst areas for fly-tipping in the UK are London boroughs. He said that the high cost of skip permits is contributing to the poor performance of the capital in dealing with the problem, compared to other parts of the UK.
Skipandbin.com has just updated its London borough skip permit prices for 2012, showing that over 50% of councils increased the price of their skip permits in the past year, some by as much as 28%.
Few people would argue with the council charging a fee to residents and construction firms for using public roads, said Mohr. “But between the increases in permit prices we’ve seen for Londoners this year and the landfill tax changes which have also impacted on the cost of hiring a skip its been a bad year for skip hire prices – which can only lead to an increase in fly-tipping – an activity which costs far more for councils to clean up than they can ever recoup through skip permits.”
The most expensive London borough for skip hire permits in 2012 is Kensington & Chelsea at £81, followed by Westminster and Redbridge at £78 and £75 respectively, according to skipandbin.com.
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The borough of Barnet saw the greatest increase in skip permit prices compared to 2011, with the charge going up from £39 to £50 for a two-week period - an increase of £11 or 28% year on year.
In addition to skip permit costs many councils also levy further charges for ‘parking’ of skips and administration fees for the issuing of permits. Most also have a minimum issuing period, so even if you need a skip for two days you have to buy a two-week licence, said Mohr. Others charge a credit card processing fee for issuing skip permits.
In what has been a difficult summer for skip hire companies in London, many councils have also imposed restrictions on the issuing of skip permits during the Olympics. “Obviously the Olympics have been a great success for the city and the clear roads policy in certain boroughs has helped to ensure things have run smoothly but I think a lot of skip hire companies feel that local councils are working against them and failing to appreciate that efficient waste removal is an important part of the infrastructure and economy of London,” said Mohr.
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