Smokers face £80 fine for dropping butts in the street

 

Last updated at 11:02am on 1st June 2007 Comments (35)

Ban: But smokers in the street could be penalised too

 

Smokers were warned today that they face on-the-spot fines for littering if they drop cigarette butts in the street. It means that smokers trying not to be penalised for breaking England's ban on smoking in enclosed public places from next month could be hit by a different fine.

Alan Woods, Chief Executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: "Smokers will think they are avoiding a fine by lighting-up outside.

"If they don't dispose of their cigarette stub responsibly, by putting it in a bin or portable ashtray, they are risking being issued with a fine of up to £80 for littering instead."

Nearly 80 per cent of streets are blighted by cigarette stubs - 20 per cent more than five years ago, according to KBT.

The annual clean-up bill stands at £200 million just for cigarette ends.

An estimated 122 tonnes of cigarette ends, matchsticks and other bits of smoking litter are dropped every day.

KBT is now urging smokers to bin their butts.

Tesco is to start selling portable ashtrays.The Ashcan, is the size and shape of a cigarette, fits into a cigarette packet where it can be used to extinguish stubs.

From 1 July it will be against the law to smoke in virtually all enclosed and substantially enclosed public places and workplaces.

Premises will be considered enclosed if they have a ceiling or roof and are wholly enclosed either on a permanent or temporary basis.

The law also applies to public transport and work vehicles used by more than one person.

"No Smoking" signs will have to be displayed in all smoke-free premises and vehicles.

Managers of smoke-free premises and vehicles will be responsible for preventing staff and customers from smoking. Failing to comply with the law is a criminal offence.

The fixed penalty notices and maximum fine for each offence are:

. Smoking in smoke-free premises or vehicles: fixed penalty notice of £50 - or a maximum fine of £200 - imposed on the person smoking.

. Failure to display "No Smoking" signs: fixed penalty notice of £200 or maximum fine of £1,000 imposed on whoever manages or occupies the premises or vehicle.

. Failing to prevent smoking in a smoke-free place: a maximum fine of £2,500 imposed on whoever manages or controls the premises or vehicle.

serves them all right! :smoking:

Oh they could make it here too

So this is news?

 

Even though you could get £80 on-the-spot fine by council "environmental-health" nazis, sorry workers, if you happen to drop any litter in the street, which includes ciggy butts.

 

Test Valley has had it for a couple years now, and when I was in Bristol last night, they had signs on most of the bins about the penalty if caught dropping litter. Even if it's just a crisp.

So this is news?

 

Even though you could get £80 on-the-spot fine by council "environmental-health" nazis, sorry workers, if you happen to drop any litter in the street, which includes ciggy butts.

 

Test Valley has had it for a couple years now, and when I was in Bristol last night, they had signs on most of the bins about the penalty if caught dropping litter. Even if it's just a crisp.

 

A baby's already been fined for that!!:rolleyes: