Some of you will know that work is taking place to prevent waste from Marley tip leaching into the River Aire. This is a £2m project which should be completed in November. River pollution from the tip has been an ongoing problem for many years, River Worth Friends member Kevin Sunderland has been concerned about the level of pollution from the site for over fourteen years and has persistently campaigned for something to be done about it. I recently got the lowdown from Kevin about his long campaign, here is a calendar of his progress. First, a little history. The minutes of the old Keighley District Council show that the Council had asked for help in 1947 with the land that they were losing to the river at Marley. A point blank refusal came from the Ouse Catchment Board. The tip finally closed in 1963 about the same time as the incinerator was shut down. The land was subsequently used for playing fields. The land affected by erosion is at the Bradford end of the playing fields.
August 2013. Bradford Council finally commissioned Leeds City Council to carry out tests which revealed high levels of iron, lead and arsenic throughout the tip. Bad news for the wildlife living in the river and those living alongside it. December 2013. The council sought £400,000 funding to carry out remedial work on the site.
RESULT! Well sort of, it has taken another four years but the work is now underway. This long story shows that campaigning doesn’t always bring quick results, but with a just cause plus determination, diligence and persistence you can eventually get a positive outcome. This will make a big difference for the river, its wildlife and those living downstream from the tip.
Hats off to Kevin Sunderland. Although he won't like me saying that!
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