A VAN showing a picture of water polluting and bearing the United Utilities name has been driven outside the firm’s Warrington HQ.

The campaign was organised by United Utilities Consultative Panel (UUCP) – a group of individuals who are ‘passionate about protecting England's rivers and water systems’.

A van was driven outside the water company’s Lingley Green offices yesterday, Monday, with a picture on the side stating: “North west England. Brought to you by United Utilities.”

In a statement, the group says it is asking the firm if it ‘has no shame’, highlighting what it believes is ‘damage that United Utilities is doing to watercourses in the north’.

UUCP says it is a group of landowners who lease or manage land owned by the water company, and have ‘become exhausted by their never-ending policy changes’.

Members say these changes often fundamentally affect how that land must be run, but are almost always made without any consultation or engagement with the local communities or those affected by these changes.

The group says its goal is to address concerns raised by locals and to have an input into any decisions made by United Utilities which may affect local communities.

The vans organised by United Utilities Consultative Panel and driven outside United Utilities Warrington HQ

The vans were organised by United Utilities Consultative Panel and driven outside United Utilities' Warrington HQ

At the same time, it is vital that key water sources must be protected from pollution and environmental degradation, a spokesman said.

“While the company has been shamed into improving its environmental behaviours, it is once again the public who will be suffering,” they commented.

“United Utilities warned last month that its customers’ bills will increase as the company spends more money on trying to meet the environmental targets which have rightly been imposed by Ofwat, the water services regulator.

“United Utilities Consultative Panel hopes to raise awareness of the harm that United Utilities’ behaviour is having on the watercourses of the north east, and on the wildlife, flora and people who live in the surrounding areas.”

In response, a United Utilities spokesman pointed out that the statement talks about the north east region, but United Utilities covers the north west.

They also said that the photo attached to the van does not show any infrastructure owned by United Utilities, and that the firm has pointed this out to the group.

They added: “We are aware of the views of the pro-shooting group behind this website, which is unhappy about our decision not to renew shooting licences on the water catchment land we own here in the north west.

“We are carrying out an independent review to fully understand the environmental, economic and social impact of our proposals, and we encourage any interested parties to share their views and evidence with the independent reviewer.”