Council-paid firm dumps waste and refuses to pay for blow-outs

A firm paid with taxpayers’ money has been dumping metal shards in the road and refuses to pay compensation for punctures.

The company says the shards, which have been found at several of locations, are too small to cause blow-outs.

But an MCN reader says they have punctured his tyres six times, costing £250 in repairs and on one occasion causing the front to immediately deflate.

Joe McCarthy, 47, a CCTV engineer, said: “I had a blow-out to my front tyre and was very lucky to escape unharmed. It was my sixth puncture in four years, all caused by exactly the same type of metal shards.

“Then a neighbour moved out and company called SitexOrbis secured the property, and afterwards I discovered hundreds of the metal clippings in the road.”

SitexOrbis, which secures empty properties for councils and housing associations, admits finding shavings in at least three separate locations near McCarthy’s home in Bootle, Merseyside.

But the firm has refused to pay for the punctures, saying in a letter: ‘SitexOrbis does not believe that the shavings that come of the perma steel would cause enough damage to the tyres of any vehicle that could potentially cause a blow-out.’

A SitexOrbis spokesman said: “We are already investigating into this matter, and will be checking and re-sweeping the areas so as to remove any potential hazards, if any, caused by SitexOrbis.

“In addition, our General Manager is meeting the concerned motorcyclists this week, and if the claim is found to be valid, we will be more than happy to sort out the issue and aim for a happy resolution.”

Have you seen shards like these dumped in the road? Email a picture to steve.farrell@motorcyclenews.com

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