No doubts – dropping a match or a fag end could cost you £50
DROPPING a cigarette end, match or wrapper could be seriously bad ... for your wallet in Kirkintilloch and Bishopbriggs.
Fed-up council chiefs have declared war on anti-social smokers who are littering pavements and roads throughout East Dunbartonshire.
A zero-tolerance campaign, ‘No Butts About It’, kicks off next month – preceded by a two-week awareness campaign.
You could even be hit with a £50 fine for dropping a cigarette wrapper or match.
Councillor John Dempsey insists: “Smokers need to take responsibility and consider other members of their community, as well as their local environment.
“If a smoker is unable to dispose of their cigarette litter in the ashtray bins provided, they must take their litter home and dispose of it in the appropriate manner.”
Councillor Dempsey – vice-convener of development and infrastructure – added: “We are committed to working with the public to advise and inform smokers as many are unaware that smoking-related items such as cigarette ends, matches, plastic wrappers, etc, are considered litter.”
The council’s environmental community protection department took over responsibility for issuing fixed penalties for littering at the end of 2008.
Since then 32 fixed penalty notices have been issued – the majority for cigarette litter.
The council is launching a two-week awareness campaign on February 27 and is setting up kiosks in Kirkintilloch and Bishopbriggs offering information, advice and free portable ashtrays.
During this time smokers will have the chance to dispose of their litter if spotted by an environmental warden, but they will get a £50 fine if they do not pick it up.
From March 12, however, the zero-tolerance campaign kicks in and fines will be issued. The crackdown coincides with No Smoking Day on March 14.
* Have you got a comment or a story? E-mail kirkyherald@jnscotland.co.uk
Or alternatively you can call the newsdesk 0141 775 0040.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Kirkintilloch
Wednesday 30 May 2012
Today
Light showers
Temperature: 11 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: South east
Tomorrow
Cloudy
Temperature: 10 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: West
Comments
There are 1 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Briggs Resident
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 06:09 PMFunny how the priorities work out. We have no traffic wardens, so you can park anywhere you like with impunity, but drop a ciggy and you'll be fined? I think the Council's priorities are askew.
Page 1 of 1
Your view
Please sign in to be able to comment on this story.