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£120 fine for drivers caught littering via new technology

£120 fine for drivers caught littering via new technology

Drivers who drop litter out of their car window could now face a fine of up to £120 if they are caught by LitterCam

The new technology, created by entrepreneur Andrew Kemp, will be put to the test from April 2021 in Maidstone, Kent over a year-long period. Fines will start at £90 can reach up to £120 if not paid within 15 days. 

According the LitterCam website, “the technology uses Artificial Intelligence to remotely detect vehicle-based littering offences. Our platform then securely transmits this footage for human validation, before an automatic request is made to the DVLA for details of a vehicle’s registered keeper so a penalty charge notice can then be issued”.

In the past year, council staff in Maidstone have collected 1,950 tons of roadside litter at a cost of £1.2million and, until now, wardens have been relied upon to issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for litterbugs caught in the act. Derek Mortimer, chairman of Maidstone borough council’s communities, housing and environment committee, expects the 200 FPNs issued last year (2020) to rise to “thousands” during the trial period.

Andrew Kemp reportedly hopes to start similar trials in Wigan and Lancashire in April 2021 and later in Sheffield. Transport Scotland and Zero Waste Scotland are also potentially looking to begin using the technology in spring 2021.

The Times newspaper reported, “On motorways, campaigners say it is almost impossible to be fined unless a motorist dumps litter in sight of a police officer. Slip roads are choked with coffee cups, plastic bottles and cigarette packets, while lorry drivers, sometimes carrying poorly secured recycling or building materials, are to blame for most of the waste plastic, crates and other detritus along main carriageways”.

Whilst Highways England is responsible for clearing litter on motorways, local councils must clear waste left on major roads – and are only able to do so if Highways England agrees to close the road, which can take months.

Chief executive of ‘Keep Britain Tidy’ Allison Ogden-Newton said, “We can’t go on like this. There are British roads that we are aware of that never get cleaned. It’s desecration.”

Allison Ogden-Newton also highlighted the impact of litter on wildlife. According to a report by Keep Britain Tidy as part of their ‘Don’t be a tosser’ project, 3.2 million voles, shrews and mice die each year after becoming trapped in discarded bottles and cans. 

We at Marshall Leasing are always interested in projects to improve the quality of UK roads, and trust that you find this information useful. If you have any questions or would like the support of our expert fleet managers, please do not hesitate to contact us at email info@marshall-leasing.co.uk or call us on 01480 414541.

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Marshall Leasing is a trading division of N.I.I.B. Group Ltd a company registered in Northern Ireland under company NI3721, whose registered office is situated at 1 Donegal Square South, BELFAST, BT1 5LR. N.I.I.B. Group Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority