Litter fines to rise to £150

Litter discarded near Nye Bevan House in Rochdale

Maximum on-the-spot fines for dropping litter will almost double from April next year - from the current limit of £80 to £150 - in order to deter and punish the anti-social minority who continue to drop rubbish.

The minimum fine will increase from £50 to £65, while the default fine will increase from £75 to £100.

For the first time, local authorities will also be able to apply these penalties for littering to vehicle owners if it can be proved litter was thrown from their car – even if it was discarded by someone else.

The changes to fines for littering follow a public consultation as part of the launch of England’s first ever Litter Strategy in April 2017, which showed the vast majority of respondents were in favour of increasing on-the-spot fines.

More than 85% were in favour of increasing fixed penalties for littering, while local authorities agreed that new penalties to tackle littering from cars would help to improve environmental quality in their area.

Martin Tett, the Local Government Association’s (LGA) Environment spokesman, said: “The LGA has long called for councils to have greater powers to tackle litter, which is a blight on the communities we serve, and these measures are a hugely positive step in the right direction.

“Councils being able to issue increased fines to litter louts, who show no consideration for the community they live in, will send a strong message to those who think their laziness is more important than the environment in which they live.

“Allowing councils to fine the owners of vehicles which litter is thrown from, rather than expecting councils to prove who exactly in the vehicle had thrown litter, is also something that the LGA has long called for. It is great that from April, councils will be able to get tough with the anti-social minority who think our roads are a repository for rubbish.”

Guidance on how these fines should be applied will be issued to councils.

Rochdale Borough Council have been contacted for comment.