Britons risk huge £1,000 fine and driving licence points for fly-tipping under Conservative plans
Drivers caught fly-tipping could face licence points if the Conservatives come back into power
Warwickshire Police
Drivers who are caught fly-tipping could face penalty points on their licence if the Conservatives come back into power after July.
As the race for the General Election gets underway the Conservatives have made bold statements which could see drivers pay the price for littering.
In their new manifesto, the Conservatives have pledged to issue fines and add licence points to licences for any driver who is found fly-tipping.
On top of licence points, drivers could also get fined up to £1,000, an increase from the current £400, as the party pledges to crack down on anti-social behaviour across the nation.
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Local authorities carried out 532,000 enforcement actions against fly-tippers last year
PA
Fly-tipping is the illegal dumping of liquid or solid waste on land or in water, with it usually being left to avoid the costs of disposing of the items properly.
Last year, local authorities carried out 532,000 enforcement actions against fly-tippers, a five per cent increase of 24,000 actions from 507,000 the previous year.
The total number of court fines last year was 1,491 with a combined value of £785,000, according to Government data.
But as the campaigns continue around the country, the Conservatives have announced ambitious plans to do more.
Speaking earlier this week, Rishi Sunak said that everyone has the right to feel safe in their neighbourhoodand a “sense of pride” in the place they call home.
The Conservatives are the only ones with a clear plan to ensure safety, security and prosperity in “your local community and your high street” he added.
He explained: “We will take the bold action needed to crack down on fly-tipping, evict nuisance tenants and stop anti-social behaviour in its tracks so we can build a secure future for everyone across the whole country.”
The new plan comes just a day after Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, detailed the Labour plan to crack down on street crime and anti-social behaviour.
In response to Sunak’s plan, Helen Morgan, local government spokesperson for the Liberal Democrat, said the Conservatives have “effectively legalised littering”.
She warned that under their Government, fines for littering and fly-tipping were so low that “people are being let off scot-free up and down the country”.
The fact that fly-tipping is going unpunished is “simply appalling” if people do not face consequences for their actions, she remarked.
Morgan added: “It’s no wonder that they think they can dump their rubbish on the streets without consequence”.
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Under new plans, drivers could be hit with a £1,000 fine
PA
Under current law, convicted parties of fly-tipping can be fined an unlimited amount or imprisoned for up to five years.