Closed petition: Reduce roadside littering: penalty points, increase fines, fund litter picks
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Allow authorities to impose penalty points on drivers for discarding litter from a vehicle. Increase minimum on the spot fines for littering and awareness through TV/online campaigns. Insist businesses take more responsibility in anti-litter campaigns. Increase budget for highways litter picks.
Roads are increasingly becoming covered in litter. This is no longer just an urban problem - it affects all roads from motorways to rural country lanes. The issue appears to be worsening, and it seems little is being done to stop it. The problem not only blights our country, but also poses a danger to wildlife and, on occasion, other road users. The visual pollution negatively impacts citizens but also presents our country unfavourably to overseas visitors.
10,299 signatures
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Government responded to this petition
The government is supporting cleaner, greener communities by tackling litter and ensuring local authorities have powers to take enforcement action where needed.
Read the response in full
The government recognises the blight litter causes to the environment and local communities and is taking action to reduce litter and improve local environments, with strong enforcement powers already available to local authorities.
Local authorities already have powers to issue a civil penalty to the keeper of a vehicle from which litter has been thrown. This enforcement tool helps local authorities to take action where the individual who dropped the litter cannot be identified. The government has no plans to give councils the powers to award penalty points for discarding litter from a vehicle as it is not always possible to reliably identify the person who has dropped the litter from a vehicle. We therefore believe that a civil penalty is a better enforcement tool in these circumstances.
The government has recently increased the maximum on-the-spot fine that local authorities can issue for littering offences. The Environmental Offences (Fixed Penalties) (Amendment) (England) Regulations 2026 (https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2026/816/contents/made) were laid in Parliament on 15 July and will come into force on 1 September. These Regulations will allow local authorities to raise their maximum fixed penalty for littering from £500 to £750 if they deem it appropriate for their local area. Local authorities can also choose to prosecute offenders in a magistrates’ court, which can lead to a criminal record and a fine of up to £2,500 on conviction.
The government has recently published statutory guidance, Litter enforcement powers - when and how to use them (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/litter-enforcement-powers-when-and-how-to-use-them/litter-enforcement-powers-when-and-how-to-use-them#consideringdisputesofliabilityrepresentationsand-appeals), to support local authorities to use their fixed penalty powers consistently, appropriately and effectively.
The government recognises the importance of behaviour change and awareness raising on litter. National Highways continues to work in partnership with local authorities and anti-littering organisations to raise public awareness of the dangers and costs associated with litter. National Highways has highlighted the negative impacts associated with littering using its ‘Lend A Paw’ campaign on its social media channels. The campaign aimed to educate roads users about the negative impacts of littering on our wildlife and the environment. More information about National Highways’ overall approach to litter is set out in its Litter Strategy (https://nationalhighways.co.uk/media/dftnlz04/cre24_0020-national-highways-litter-stratgey-our-approach.pdf). The government is also exploring options to give National Highways new powers as a litter enforcement authority when Parliamentary time permits, as set out in the Roads Investment Strategy 3 (https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/69c4265e471d520038d0f64a/ris3.pdf).
Businesses also have an important role in preventing litter, including controlling their waste and storing it properly so it does not become litter. Under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, local authorities have powers to tackle persistent, unreasonable behaviour that is having a negative effect on a community’s quality of life. They can issue Community Protection Notices which can be used to require the owner of premises, such as fast-food outlets, to take certain actions to tackle litter created by their activities.
Guidance (https://www.gov.uk/guidance/health-and-wellbeing) published by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government clarifies the powers available to local authorities to ensure new hot food takeaways do not increase the impact of litter on local communities. The guidance gives local authorities advice on what rules they can enforce when new takeaways open, such as ensuring they install more bins and anti-litter signs around shops or have staff members pick up litter regularly.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
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Petition closed
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Petition published
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If this petition gets 10,000 signatures, government will respond to it.
If this petition gets 100,000 signatures, it will be considered for debate in Parliament.
This petition will stay open until 23 August 2026.