Hotline launched for town troubled by docks dust

Roger Brown said he had to regularly wash his car due to the amount of dust it was covered in after a few days

A 24-hour hotline will be launched for people in a port town affected for years by dust covering their homes and cars.

Residents in Tilbury, Essex, blame the town's busy port for the ongoing problem, which they say is causing health concerns.

At a council scrutiny meeting on 2 October, Thurrock Council said it was taking "immediate steps" to improve its response to the long-standing issue.

A spokesperson from the Port of Tilbury said it "takes its responsibilities as a business and neighbour seriously".

Michael Dinneen, the assistant director for community protection and enforcement services at the council, announced the creation of the new out-of-hours call-out process specifically for Tilbury dust complaints.

"This service doesn't currently exist but it will allow the council to respond immediately when required."

He also confirmed plans to speak with two companies "of concern" at the port.

Kevin Wakefield says he has to wash his car on a weekly basis

Mr Dinneen revealed that a dust analysis was carried out in recent years, prior to the opening of Tilbury2 in May 2020 and said he had requested those findings.

Discussions with public health officials were under way to determine whether a new analysis should be commissioned, given complaints that Tilbury2 had significantly increased dust levels.

Jen Craft, the Labour MP for Thurrock, also said there was a "lack of urgency and a lack of intense work" from the Environment Agency on the issue.

"I know they are very thinly stretched but they do have a role in monitoring and making sure what is in the air, what people are breathing into their lungs and what they are even breathing into their clothes isn't toxic and isn't going to have adverse effects on their health," she said.

"They are currently not doing that - it's making me quite cross."

An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "We work hard to ensure the businesses we regulate operate in a way that doesn't harm the environment.

"And we will always hold to account any that breach the conditions of their permit."

They said the agency regulated seven sites at Tilbury docks that "have the potential to create dust".

Kai Clark says his baby is suffering from a cough

Resident Roger Brown told BBC Essex: "The dust is quite bad, you can wash your car and then by the next morning you will have a coating of dust on it."

Kevin Wakefield, 56, who has lived in Tilbury his whole life, said the dust had worsened in the past few years.

"In the summer, it's just like plumes of it and it covers your car and every week you end up washing your car," he said.

Kai Clark, 28, who works in a warehouse, said the situation was "frustrating for everyone".

"I've got a one-year-old baby and it's hard because he coughs all the time and it's never because of a cough or a cold," he said.

The Port of Tilbury spokesperson added: "We adhere to all statutory environmental requirements and, in Tilbury2 specifically, we have all required dust suppression systems in place across the site."