Yellow cards over litter

Aug 14 2008 by Richard Evans, North Wales Weekly News

LITTER bugs who discard or throw rubbish, chewing gum and cigarette butts on the ground are being targeted in Colwyn Bay.

Six £75 fixed penalty notices were issued to people dropping litter during a two-hour trial period in the town during last week’s anti-litter campaign.

Conwy County Council and North Wales Police will now be issuing fixed penalties to those are caught spitting out gum or dropping litter, while yellow card warnings will be issued to younger offenders.

Thousands of leaflets have already been handed to children through local schools, posters issued to businesses and an information unit will be set up within the Bayview Shopping Centre on Seaview Road.

Cllr Phillip Evans is the cabinet member for corporate and regulatory services and welcomed the initiative which he believed would encourage pride in the town: “Littering of our neighbourhoods really does degrade areas.

“This in turn leads to loss of pride and further problems then ensue. I would encourage everyone to take responsibility for their litter and dispose of it appropriately. I am pleased to see that this initiative is using a balance of education, encouragement and strong enforcement which is important to achieve our aims.”

Town centre manager Ingrid Lewis also backed the campaign and added she would also discourage people from flicking cigarette ash, which while not classed as litter does cause streets to look unkempt.

“People are increasingly aware of their local environment and realise the important role that they play in their own immediate locality,” she said.