National Highways has issued an urgent warning to motorists over serious road concerns after an emergency access route was blocked by a fly-tipping incident.
The transport organisation and Mid Devon District Council are appealing for information after fly-tipped rubbish blocked access to a crucial route on the M5 in Devon.
Fly-tippers rendered the emergency access road unusable in what was believed to be two separate incidents.
The emergency turning point at Little Copse between junctions 28 (Cullompton) and 29 (Honiton, Exeter Airport) has been out of action.
It can be accessed via a police viewing platform on the southbound carriageway, opening onto the B3181 local authority road, although National Highways and the police would not be able to use the route if needed.
Mid Devon District Council were forced to pay more than £4,500 to remove and dispose of the dumped rubbish.
It included an oil central heating tank, a sofa, various pieces of furniture, an oil drum and even asbestos sheeting.
Emma Bazeley, National Highways Maintenance Service Manager for the South West, suggested that the items could have come from a house clearance.
National Highways has called for anyone with information about the fly-tipping incident to come forward
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She noted that anyone who has recently paid a company to dispose of their rubbish may recognise the items.
The maintenance service manager called for anyone with information to come forward so National Highways can inform the relevant authorities.
Ms Bazeley added: "It's totally irresponsible to do this, they've not only put ours and police operations at risk but it can pose a risk to wildlife and the environment and it’s costly to remove.
"Clearing litter from our roads costs the taxpayer millions of pounds a year, and it's a cost local authorities can ill afford."
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Instances of fly-tipping have become more common in recent years | WARWICKSHIRE POLICEThe fly-tippers needed to gain access to the site via a gate alongside the B3181, as the access gate from the motorway is normally securely locked.
National Highways confirmed that it would securely lock the second access gate, prune back and clear vegetation and liaise with local authorities to clear the debris.
Councillor Josh Wright, Mid Devon District Council's Cabinet Member for Service Delivery and Continuous Improvement, described the incident as "incredibly frustrating".
He added: "As well as harming the environment, it’s costly to clear up and has caused disruption to an emergency access route which could have serious consequences if access is needed during an incident.
Fly-tipping incidents in England reached a record high of 1.15 million in 2023/24 | WARWICKSHIRE POLICE"Our teams are working with partners to get the site cleared as quickly and safely as possible.
"We'd ask anyone with information to come forward and remind people to always check anyone taking away waste is licensed to dispose of it properly."
Labour recently confirmed that new rules would be introduced to give fly-tippers penalty points on their licence if they are caught committing an offence.
It stated that people who repeatedly break the law and accumulate 12 or more points within a three-year period will be at risk of disqualification.