Network Rail has discovered that 23 per cent of people in Britain don’t know that fly-tipping is illegal, according to the results of a new survey of 2,000 people.

Fly-tipping is classed as a form of vandalism because it is not only unsightly but can also delay trains or even cause accidents.

The new figures have been released to mark Gobal Recycling Day, and they vary according to the age of those who responded to the survey, which was carried out by One Poll last month.

The youngest respondents were the least well-informed, with 46 per cent of Generation Z – adults born since 1996 – unaware that fly-tipping is a criminal offence. That figure falls to 18 per cent for people born between 1965 and 1980, and to 8 per cent for people born in 1964 or earlier.

The research also suggests that more than one in five people (22 per cent) do not believe fly-tipping damages the environment. Despite their reputation as the most environmentally-friendly generation, 42 per cent of Generation Z wrongly believe this, compared with 1 in 10 (or 11 per cent) of people born before 1965.

Network Rail has unveiled a demonstration pile of mattresses, white goods and other electrical items at London King’s Cross station today, because such things are among those most commonly dumped on railway property.

Waste can attract rats that chew on cables, leading to signal failures and even accidents, while metal cans and foil can affect signalling by damaging the cables. Tipping is also a source of pollution, a potential danger to public health and a hazard to wildlife.

The Kent route has recorded 316 reports of fly-tipping from members of the public over the four years to 31 March last year, while the Southern region as a whole has logged 797 incidents during the same period. Altogether, there were almost 4,000 reports on the network nationwide.

One in five people (22 per cent) have seen someone fly-tipping and a quarter (23 per cent) had witnessed it on or near a railway. Yet only a third (36 per cent) of such people had reported the incident to their local council, Crimestoppers, or a transport authority.

Network Rail cleans up the rubbish, and works with British Transport Police to identify and prosecute the people who dump it. It also tries to prevent dumping in the first place by keeping an eye on problem areas with CCTV and strengthening the fencing at such ‘hotspots’. It also uses tyre-puncturing ‘nobblers’ at gates which lead to railway land.

Paul Langley is Network Rail’s head of security, crime and resilience in the Southern region. He said: ‘We’re committed to running a safe, reliable and efficient railway and we work extremely hard throughout the year cleaning up after fly-tippers, and we urge everyone to report any incidents of fly-tipping on the railway.’

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