PEOPLE could face on-the-spot fines for dropping litter in a council crackdown on environment crime. Councillors approved a recommendation for Stevenage Borough Council to use new powers to fine those responsible for abandoned cars, litter, fly posting, f

PEOPLE could face on-the-spot fines for dropping litter in a council crackdown on environment crime.

Councillors approved a recommendation for Stevenage Borough Council to use new powers to fine those responsible for abandoned cars, litter, fly posting, fly tipping, discarded shopping trolleys and graffiti vandals.

The policy means any person seen dropping litter will be challenged about their actions and if the warning is ignored the litterbug would be fined as much as £200.

The policy will also see tougher punishments for people who park vehicles in inappropriate places, for example roundabouts, in order to sell them.

Cllr John Gardner said: "This is not about the council collecting more money. It is about changing people's habits."

He said the new powers will be used alongside an environment campaign to make Stevenage a more attractive place to live.

The fines will come into force on April 6 but there will be no extra jobs created by the policy. Fines will be imposed by the council's existing enforcement officers.

A council spokesman said: "We have a legal duty to keep Stevenage as clean and safe as possible.

"We are already tackling fly tipping, abandoned vehicles and litter with our environmental action days and existing enforcement actions including fixed penalty notices.

"Our first approach is to give people advice on how to comply with the law.

"If they don't follow this advice then we would use stronger measures and may issue fixed penalty notices of between £50 and £200, depending on the nature of the offence.