Bradford fly-tipping: New plan to tackle blight of rubbish

The ‘Don’t Mess With Bradford’ (DMWB) campaign is spearheaded by community action group Bradford 4 Better with one key message: “Let’s reignite the pride in our city.”

The group has brought together a powerful coalition – including local businesses, community and religious organisations, law enforcement and even restaurants – in the hope of bringing about much-needed change. 

The campaign was first introduced in the USA, with ‘Don’t Mess With Texas’ and then replicated in London with ‘Don’t Mess With Croydon’. Both were a huge success and it’s hoped that success will also be seen in Bradford. 

Yasar Mohammed, treasurer of Bradford 4 Better, said: “Ultimately we want to see a greener Bradford, we want to give Bradford a positive image and want people to change their habits when it comes to littering.”

In February, it was revealed Bradford Council had spent more than £125,000 on removing large incidents of fly-tipping in 2022.

Figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs figures revealed there were 16,285 fly-tipping incidents in Bradford in the year to March 2022. 

That was down from 18,001 the year before. Bradford Council said it was glad to see the numbers falling and said it was doing everything it could to crack down on the plague of fly-tipping.

It’s an issue that will become even more prominent ahead of Bradford’s City of Culture year in 2025. 

Earlier this year, a report going to Bradford Council’s Regeneration and Environment Scrutiny Committee outlined preparations, including appointing an officer with the specific responsibility of co-ordinating “cleansing and waste operations”.

They also include “a review of cleansing and waste across the district in order to be prepared for 2025 and ensure a high standard of cleanliness” and “the preparation of a detailed project plan that will seek to ensure that the city is prepared and dressed in advance of 2025”. 

The DMWB campaign launches today and will run until April 30. 

Nearly 100 people have signed up, along with 10 businesses. 

Yasar said: “We’ve received many positive responses and a lot of people want to get involved.”

In a video launched as part of DMWB, campaigner Queen Esther says: “It’s a campaign to reignite the pride in our city.

“Bradford is our city, it’s where we live, it’s where we have our homes, where our children live.

“This is my city. I rep this Bradford and for too long we’ve let this become the norm, where there is litter, where there is fly-tipping.

“People think it’s a dirty city, they don’t see the culture, they don’t see the richness, they don’t see the beauty, because of litter, because of fly-tipping. 

“And we’re saying ‘enough is enough’. We’re saying ‘no, no more fly-tipping, no more littering’.”

Queen Esther said it’s a behavioural change campaign aimed at tackling people’s attitudes towards littering and fly-tipping.

She added: “This campaign will make Bradford cleaner, it will make Bradford better, it will take care of the environment.

“It will make us have pride in our city – a place we can leave for our children and their children.”

There are three main ways people can get involved. 

The first way is by organising a clean-up and litter pick – either individually or with friends and family.

Bradford 4 Better is encouraging people to share their pictures of the difference they have made using the hashtag #DMWB and posting them on the group’s Facebook page. 

The best transformation could win a cash prize. 

People are also encouraged to make a promotional poster that talks about the DMWB campaign. 

Again, there’s a cash prize to be won for the best poster. 

These should also be shared on the Bradford 4 Better Facebook page using the hashtag 

And the third is to create a 30-second video inspiring people to take responsibility for their communities and to share it on the Facebook page. 

Bradford Council was approached for a comment on the new campaign, but did not respond by the time of going to press. 

Find out more about the campaign through the DMWB website at www.dontmesswithbradford.com.