South Gloucestershire Council has stepped up its fight against littering in the district with today (1 November) seeing the launch of a new initiative targeting those who discard their litter from vehicles.
The council’s Street Enforcement service has been extended to include this new area of action, using the Littering from Vehicles (outside London) Regulations which authorises local authorities to carry out enforcement against the registered keepers of vehicles from which litter is thrown or ejected.
The council is able to deal with these offences by issuing Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) which carry a fine of £100, with a reduced rate for payment within the first 10 days of £50.
Evidence will be accepted in the form of dashcam footage, CCTV or mobile phone footage, along with professional witness accounts from the police or council officers. Where an offence is identified the council will send a ‘Notice to Owner’ advising the vehicle’s registered keeper where and when the offence was committed along with the PCN.
The introduction of this initiative will support existing council priorities such as reducing litter on the A4174 Ring Road, Operation Tiedown (waste falling from commercial vehicles) and enhances the powers open to the existing Street Enforcement officers.
Anyone with dashcam, CCTV or mobile phone footage of a littering from vehicles offence can report it to the council via www.southglos.gov.uk/reportit
Councillor Leigh Ingham, cabinet member responsible for environmental enforcement at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “We’re really pleased to increase our ability to tackle littering in the area by introducing this initiative.
“We’re working hard to keep our local roads and streets clean and take littering offences very seriously. Throwing litter from a car is completely unacceptable, whether it’s moving or not. It makes roadsides look awful.
“I encourage anyone that has video footage of someone littering from a vehicle to send it in to us for investigation.”
A video of a recently reported littering from vehicles offence is available here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_oxytRBqff0
