02/08/2005 - Today Environment
Agency specialists have been removing abandoned
cars at Church Wilne on the River Derwent.
Last year we carried out a survey of 200m
of riverbed in Wilne Lane. The survey was
carried out in response to a number of complaints
from angling clubs and the parish council
that a large number of cars had been dumped
in the river. By the end of the day, nine
cars, a lorry chassis, a fridge, three safes
and a handgun had been found.
Today’s operation saw the removal of four
whole motor vehicles, one Tradant, a lorry
chassis, three part vehicles and a safe. Two
cars had to be left there as it was impractical
to remove them. All the items have new been
taken to a secure depot for assessment then
recycling. The Environment Agency deployed
pollution control measures, and these captured
slicks of oil released from the cars as they
were removed.
To date we have not received any record of
pollution or flood defence problems resulting
from the vehicles. However, we were concerned
about the possibility of pollutants being
slowly released from the wrecked cars and
also their potential to trap flood debris
and cause localised flooding. Such obstructions
also interfere with angling methods at this
popular venue.
Speaking about the operation, Mark Cunningham,
one of our officers involved in today’s operation,
says: ‘Today’s operation has been a great
success. While we do not have a direct responsibility
to remove vehicles dumped in rivers, we had
become concerned about the amount of vehicles
and the threat they posed to flood management
and water quality. We have been waiting for
the conditions which would allow us to carry
out this operations as safely as possible
and the river is now a better place.’
Both ourselves and Derbyshire County Council
have installed roadside bollards so as to
cut the risk of vehicles being dumped here
in the future.
MORE INFORMATION Contact Oliver Blackburn
on 0121 711 5855/5829
(these numbers can be used out of office
hours during an emergency)
