More than 100 people were fined for dropping litter in Bolton, new figures show in just 12 months.

Across the country a total of 165,000 fines were issued between 2021 and 2022.

A Freedom of Information request by litter campaigners Clean Up Britain revealed that Bolton Council handed out 166 fines to people who were caught littering, giving them a fine of £150 reduced to £75 if paid within 14 days.

Analysts from Quotezone.co.uk have published an index showing exactly how many fines councils are issuing across each region to try and tackle the problem.

Figures showed Bury had significantly lower litter fines handed out with just 35 with a fine of £75 reduced to £50 for early payment.

The Bolton News:

On the other end of the spectrum, in Salford there were 595 fines given out with of fine of £150.

The North West of England had 17,013 offences recorded, with the average littering fine costing £114. 

Manchester had the most littering fines in the region, recorded at 10,521 which is four times higher than any other area in the North West. 

Nationally, London has been named as the city with the most litter fines, as 56,354 fines were given out to local litterers.

The area with the least punishment for littering cases was the North East, where just 1,484 offences were recorded.

The Bolton News: Litter
Read more of our top stories here:

Early last year, Bolton Council  strengthened its commitment to tackling environmental crime with a six-month partnership with enforcement company 3GS.

People caught dropping litter and allowing their dogs to foul in public spaces faced on-the-spot fines between £100 and £150 depending upon the type of offence.

Whilst the fines were already being implemented by council officers, the partnership brought an additional resource to clamp down on offenders. 

In 2021 Bolton Council approved new powers to tackle litter being thrown from cars to ‘Keep Bolton Tidy’.

Under new powers the registered owner of the vehicle will be liable for the fine if litter is seen being dropped out from a moving or parked car. Previously the local authority can only issue if the person responsible for littering is identified.

Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk said: “Littering is an environmental crime, and we support local authorities taking action by giving on-the-spot fines to those found at fault. 

“A recent Quotezone survey showed 75 per cent of people thought litter in their area was getting worse – with 73 per cent saying they’d actually witnessed someone littering. 

“Those found at fault will be given a fixed penalty notice (FPN) from their local council or similar authority, explaining the offence and the penalty they are liable for.

“The punishment for littering crimes is different across the country.  A FPN for littering is usually £150, but in July 2023 the government increased the upper limits which means those caught littering can now be fined up to £500.

“Our survey also found a shocking 82 per cent had seen someone throw litter out of a car window.  Rule 147 of the Highway Code says drivers must not throw anything out of a vehicle, including cigarette ends, because it can endanger other road users.

“Depending on the severity of the issue, littering from the car may also be deemed a distraction, if the driver is found not paying due care and attention, they could face further prosecution and risk penalty points - in turn affecting car insurance premiums and likely a larger fine.” 

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at chloe.wilson@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on X @chloewjourno