My son was fined £500 just for dropping a cigarette butt | Consumer affairs
My son was fined £500 after dropping a cigarette butt in Southwark, London. He says the enforcement officer physically prevented him from picking it up, and told him he would escape a fine if he provided ID, and the police would be called if he didn’t. He complied and was promptly issued with a fixed-penalty notice (FPN). However, £500 is more than a typical fine for a dangerous offence such as speeding. I’ve since found fines and enforcement vary dramatically between London boroughs. Barnet charges £100, but drop your cigarette on the Enfield side of Cockfosters Road and your fine will be £500. Same “crime” a few yards apart and a 400% increase. These fines are not proportional and not fair. TH, London I should start by saying that littering is a national scourge and flung fag ends an environmental hazard. However, the government guidance to councils on enforcement, which last month was made legally binding, is unambiguous: the goal is to “educate” and “change behaviour”, and enforcement should be “transparent, accountable, proportionate and consistent”. …
