Officers wearing body camera to target litterbugs in Bedford borough

Anyone dropping a cigarette butt or piece of chewing gum on the streets of Bedford faces a fine of £75.
LitterLitter
Litter

That’s the warning from Bedford Borough Council which is cracking down even harder on littering.

The borough council has issued more than 900 fines for littering in the last three

years, and launched the long-term ‘Why Would You’ campaign to discourage

littering.

Despite this people continue to drop litter and the council is hitting back by contracting officers who will patrol the streets and public spaces wearning body cameras. Anyone caught dropping litter will be given a Fixed Penalty Notice by the officers, who will also start enforcing for other environmental offences such as dog fouling later in the year.

The scheme, which starts this month, won’t cost the council, nor taxpayers, a penny as

it is self-financing, with costs being covered by the income from the Fixed

Penalty Notices paid by those who litter, and commit other environment offences.

Councillor Charles Royden, Portfolio Holder for the Environment said: “While our own

officers have a number of different jobs to do, ‘Kingdom’ staff will be patrolling

our streets focused on tackling environment offences to deal with the selfish

minority who spoil our neighbourhoods for everyone.

“Littering is a crime and if you are seen by one of these officers dropping even a cigarette butt or bit of

chewing gum, you will be fined £75.”