Fixed penalty notices for environmental offences

Environmental crimes

Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for environmental crimes must be paid within 14 days from the date of issue. If you can't pay within this time and you haven't provided reasonable grounds for non-payment, we may refer your case for prosecution at a magistrates' court.

If this happens, you could get a fine of up to £1,000 for dog fouling and £2,500 for littering.

Types of offences and their fines

• Littering (for example food packaging, cigarette butts and chewing gum) on the public highway or from a vehicle – Fine of £150, reduced to £100 if paid within 10 days.
• Dog fouling in a public place – Fine of £50.
• Spitting in an open public space – Fine of £150, reduced to £100 if paid within 10 days.
• Urinating in public – Fine of £150, reduced to £100 if paid within 10 days.
• Abandoning a vehicle – Fine of £200, reduced to £150 if paid within 10 days.
• Exposing a vehicle for sale on the highway – Fine of £100.
• Repairing a vehicle on the highway – Fine of £100.

Dispose of your litter correctly

• Use the nearest public bin.
• Use the ashtray stubs.
• Use a portable ashtray.

Highway offences

All highway offences are criminal offences.

Anyone issued with a highways FPN has 28 days to pay the £100 fine.

If it's paid within 14 days, the level of the penalty is reduced to £50.

If the penalty is not paid within the 28-day period, legal proceedings for the offence may be started. There is no appeals process. Failure to pay will result in prosecution and a maximum penalty of £1,000 on conviction.

Highway offences for which a Fixed Penalty Notice may be issued

These apply under the Highways Act 1980:

• Wilful obstruction of the highway: Section 37(1).
• Depositing builder’s skip on highway without permission: Section 139(3).
• Failure to secure lighting or other marking of builder’s skip: Section 139(4)(a).
• Depositing materials on a made-up carriageway: Section 148(a).
• Depositing materials within 15 feet from centre of made-up carriageway: Section 148(b).
• Depositing anything on the highway to the interruption of user: Section 148(c).
• Pitching of booths, stalls or stands or encamping on highway: Section 148(d).
• Failure to comply with notice requiring works to prevent soil or refuse escaping onto street or into sewer: Section 151(3).
• Failure to comply with notice requiring removal of projection from buildings: Section 152(4).
• Failure to secure marking of builder's skip with name and address: Section 139 (4)(b).
• Failure to secure removal of builder's skip: Section 139(4)(c).
• Failure to comply with conditions of permission: Section 139(4)(d).
• Failure to remove or reposition builder's skip: Section 140(3).
• Depositing things on highway which cause injury or danger: Section 161(1).
• Erecting scaffolding or other structure without licence, or failing to comply with terms of licence or perform duty under subsection (4): Section 169(5).