The government is clamping down on motorists who throw rubbish out of their car windows.
Under new plans, car owners could be traced and given an £80 fine for littering, even if they were not in the car at the time and have no idea who threw the rubbish.
The plans were introduced into the House of Lords by Lord Marlesford in an attempt to allow councils to recoup some of the money they spend on clearing litter.
"Nothing degrades a road more than litter," Lord Marlesford told the Daily Telegraph, "the roads in England are some of the dirtiest in Europe. And it can so easily be dealt with."
It is currently very difficult for councils to impose fines on litterbugs, but under the new laws councils would be able to use CCTV footage to pursue the vehicle owner and impose a fine.
Fining litterers is nothing new -- London councils can already fine motorists £100 for littering from cars, and littering of any type is a criminal offence which carries a fine of up to £2,500.
So, do you agree with the new measures? Is the proposed new legislation a timely response to the growing litter issue, or a draconian measure by a government obsessed with surveillance?
Leave your comments below.
