Calls for drivers who litter out of their cars to be fined £1,000

15 March 2023, 16:12

Clean Up Britain founder calls on Brits to be 'socially responsible' by turning in litterers

By Alice Dear

Clean Up Britain has shared pictures of a 'tsunami' of rubbish on the hard shoulders of motorways across the UK in a bid to change the behaviour of drivers.

Drivers who litter out their car windows should be fined £1,000.

This is according to Clean Up Britain who are calling for stricter laws for people ruining the British landscape with rubbish.

Clean Up Britain's founder John Read says that a "serious message" needs to be sent to litterers and that a fine of £1,000 would help deter people from chucking their rubbish from their cars.

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Appearing on Good Morning Britain this week, Read said: "In the country at the moment, we don't have enough socially responsible people."

He added: "The whole point about fining is that it has to be a deterrent for people, a disincentive to do it."

In a bid to stop people littering from their cars, the campaigners are calling for more severe fines for people offending.

This could mean in some circumstances other drivers are forced to report littering to the police when they see another driver littering.

While on Good Morning Britain, Read explained that reporting littering from a fellow driver should not be seen as "snitching" but as helping change the habits of the people ruining the British landscape.

He previously said: "We have an enforcement system that is fractured, agencies like National Highways are responsible for keeping our roads safe and clean but they are failing. I drive up and down the UK and there is litter everywhere, every single motorway is disgusting it is covered in litter.

"The problem is that National Highways should not have to be litter picking but due to the litter being there it is their responsibility to clean it."

He went on: "When it comes to litter and fly-tipping it is anarchy, there is no law enforcement in this country. The UK is the wild west, the penalties are ridiculously low which reflects on how our politicians are spineless.

"We need to see fines increase to £1000 for littering, we need to show some guts but that is lacking in the Government. I drive all over the country, it is a sh*t hole, we are heading towards a third-world country."

At the moment, the average street fine in the UK for littering is between £65 to £100, however, John and Clean Up Britain want that fee to be increased.

This comes after a petition to increase the fine amount was signed by 60,000 other worried Brits.

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