Have yourself a very smelly Christmas, courtesy of Transwaste
Environment Agency says it is stepping up resources at Jameson Road landfill after odour reports spiked over Christmas
Hello and welcome to The Blackpool Lead.
Another Christmas passes by in Fleetwood with no tangible change to the circumstances that have left many in the town protesting and campaigning passionately.
The Jameson Road landfill is a common topic on these news pages, with public meetings, appeals from the MP, temporary prohibition notices and precedent from elsewhere in the country not enough to put a stop to it permanently.
A protest was held at the weekend and extra monitoring has been promised by the Environment Agency - but it remains the case the landfill keeps being given chances, and keeps operating.
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Blackpool briefing
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Have yourself a very smelly Christmas, courtesy of Transwaste
By Luke Beardsworth
Residents of Fleetwood found themselves suffering a Christmas filled with stench, thanks to the odours from a nearby landfill.
Transwaste has been operating at the Jameson Road landfill in Fleetwood since September 2023 when residents were given no meaningful warning from anyone responsible when it reopened.
It has been subject to thousands of complaints over the extent of the odours with residents - and the local MP Lorraine Beavers - continuing to be appalled that concerns over their health are not being acknowledged in the form of meaningful action.
A protest was held at the landfill site on Saturday (17 January) with dozens showing up with placards including many saying “stop the stink” and others with references to “poisonous gas”.
The stance of Transwaste has long been that the site does not produce harmful gases and that any odours are rarely at the ‘detectable’ levels - which rather ignores the reported lived experience from residents.
Jess Brown, a mum from Fleetwood who helps run the Action Against Jameson Road landfill group, told The Blackpool Lead: “Over the Christmas period we did have quite a few reports of people smelling the toxic stench, including families who had come to visit over the holidays and couldn’t believe how bad it was. This isn’t new. It’s the same thing every year at this time since 2024 and nothing ever changes.
“We had a protest on Saturday which highlighted just how many residents are being affected and that this issue is not going away.
“Right now, as I’m speaking, I’m sat in my house and the smell is absolutely disgusting. It’s so strong it’s inside the house. My mum can barely breathe at times because of her COPD, and my daughter has a cold and cough which is clearly being made worse by this. We can’t even open windows for fresh air — there is no fresh air.”
The protest was attended by the local MP and saw frustration directed at Wyre Council, Lancashire County Council and the Environment Agency over a lack of action to protect the residents of Fleetwood.
Lorraine Beavers, MP for Blackpool North and Fleetwood, told The Blackpool Lead of the protest: “It was really good - everybody was empowered and everyone is determined that it be shut down.
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