Fine for flingers (From Penarth Times)

Fine for flingers

PENARTH motorists caught flinging rubbish out of their car window are being warned - pick up or pay up.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council is cautioning drivers who throw litter from their car windows that they will be slapped with heavy fines.

The council is targeting drivers and passengers who litter the roads in a new campaign, and is reminding motorists that anyone caught throwing rubbish out of their window faces a 75 fine.

Last year the council spent more than 1.5m on cleansing, including a significant amount on picking litter from roadsides and grass verges, and is determined to crack down on this expensive menace.

Typical items thrown from cars include cigarette butts and cigarette packets, crisp and sweet packets, apple cores and takeaway food and drink containers.

Areas particularly affected include Cardiff Road in Dinas Powys, the A48 from Cowbridge to Ystradowen, Hensol Road and roads around Cardiff Airport.

The council's waste management department says that areas around traffic lights are also a problem.

Vale of Glamorgan Council Senior Enforce-ment Officer, Denny White, said: "Litter can really affect how people feel about where they live and, I'm sure we all want the Vale to be as clean as possible.

"Our enforcement officers are constantly out and about, and will not hesitate in issuing anyone dropping litter, be it in the street or out of a vehicle, with a 75 fine."

Cllr Geoff Cox, Cabinet Member for Visible Services, hopes motorists will take notice of the warning.

He said: "Every year we waste thousands of pounds of council taxpayers' money cleaning up after the minority of people who drop litter.