On-the-spot fines will start in June
A clamp-down on litter bugs in Merton is now underway as the local council joins forces with environmental crime enforcers in a new six-month trial.
Merton Council's enforcement officers will work alongside Kingdom Environmental Protection Services to deter people from dropping litter on Merton’s streets and will focus on Wimbledon, Mitcham and Morden town centres.
Anyone caught dropping litter is liable to pay a fixed penalty notice of £75.
But there will be a month-long grace period when officers who catch people dropping litter will issue a warning letter and explain to them that next time they will have to pay the fine. The grace period will continue until Monday June 2.
Merton Council's director for environment and regeneration Chris Lee said: "We are continuing our clamp-down on people who drop litter on our streets. We annually spend £5 million clearing litter, graffiti, fly tipping and other environmental crimes from our streets, some of which could be spent on other services.
"Bringing in extra enforcement on this trial basis will allow us to assess the difference it will make to our streets, which the vast majority of people want to see kept clean. A warm-up period to allow us to talk to people littering, explain the consequences of littering and give them a warning should encourage people to take responsibility for their own rubbish in the future."
May 4, 2014