Littering fines set to rise to £150

The Daily Telegraph has reported that people who are caught littering could face fines of up to £150 under new plans set out by the Department for Communities and Local Government.

The plans suggest the minimum fine is set to double to £100, whilst current penalties range between £50-£80. Ministers claim the regulations could result in a ‘clutter-free legacy for England’.

Marcus Jones, Communities minister, said those who drop litter would be ‘hit in the pocket’.

He added: "Dropping litter is the kind of anti-social behaviour that really gets people's backs up, and rightly so.

"It's thoughtless, selfish and ruins shared spaces for everyone. Not only that, litter clearance and disposal costs hundreds of millions of pounds for councils every year - money that could be going on vital services.

"If litter louts can't put their rubbish in the bin perhaps we can hit them in the pocket instead."

The planned increases come as part of the ‘Clean for the Queen campaign’, a nationwide clean-up operation, ahead of Her Majesty’s 90th birthday. Adrian Evans, the campaign’s chief executive, said the public should challenge offenders who drop rubbish.

He said: "The way I have done it in the past is to treat it as though they have made a mistake and something has inadvertently fallen out of their bag or pocket. Sort of, 'Oh no, did you mean to drop that?'"

The campaign follows councils in England and Wales which have called for new powers to tackle the ‘huge and spiralling’ problem of people throwing litter from vehicles.