Drivers in England face £150 fines over 'empty coffee cups and fast food wrappers' in car

Drivers have been warned you can be fined £150 for littering from your own car. Drivers can face fines for littering from their vehicles, even if a passenger is responsible for dumping rubbish. Changes remove the need for councils to prove individual guilt, making car owners accountable for any litter thrown from their vehicles.

Wheeldon Brothers warned: "The government's raised the maximum on-the-spot penalty for littering from £80 to £150 in 2018. Under these changes, local councils now possess the authority to fine car owners when evidence indicates litter was thrown from their vehicle.

“According to National Highways, yearly, they remove around 200,000 sacks of litter from the country's motorways. The cost is around £50 a sack—about the same as fixing a pothole—and money that could be better spent elsewhere on road repairs.”

READ MORE Horrified Brits in Spain and Greece warned to stay indoors 'in middle of day'

They added: “The crackdown on littering drivers aims to address the widespread issue of discarded coffee cups, fast food wrappers, nappies, and cigarette ends littering roadsides and motorway’s which will hopefully lower these numbers.

"Litter thrown from vehicles not only damages the environment and incurs substantial costs but also jeopardises the safety of road workers tasked with its removal." They went on and said: “Let's keep our roads clean. We urge drivers to simply hold onto their litter until they spot the nearest bin.”

Wheeldon Brothers is a family-operated waste management firm, delivering reliable waste services and recycling to homes and businesses across Greater Manchester. The warning comes as drivers can be fined £150 for littering from their own car.

On its website, Wheeldon described itself as "an eco-conscious, family run waste management company, bringing reliable waste services and recycling to homes and businesses throughout Greater Manchester." They "offer a total waste management service to cover all your needs.We are committed to environmental sustainability, ensuring that we recycle everything we can."