MP Theresa Villiers has urged that the country’s Automatic Number Plate Recognition Cameras (ANPR) to be used to catch people throwing rubbish from vehicles.
Speaking in a debate on litter which she put on the agenda in Parliament, the former Environment Secretary said the cameras – used to detect crime and track vehicles – could have another purpose.
The call comes after National Highways has started to look at whether number plate recognition could be used to catch litter offenders.
“There is a strong case for greater use of cameras in enforcement,” she told MPs.
“There are around 11,000 ANPR cameras around the country used to monitor vehicles. Why can’t we use these to catch litterbugs too?”
“I raised this in a Parliamentary question two years ago. The Minister responded that ANPR cameras are not suitable for use in this way. I found that hard to understand.
“When cameras can be the basis of fines for so many traffic offences, why not for chucking rubbish out of a car window as well?"
She said the Government has changed the law so that if litter is thrown from a car, the registered keeper of the vehicle is liable for the fine. It was no longer necessary to prove that they were the person in the car at the time.
The Chipping Barnet MP is a notable campaigner against litter. In 2018, she produced crumpled up Crunchie bar wrapper during a speech in Parliament, revealing to MPs that it had been found discarded on the green benches of the House of Commons. She has also taken part in many volunteer litter-picks in her constituency.
“I tabled this debate today because I really hate litter,” she explained. “It disfigures our parks, pavements and streets. It damages our beautiful countryside and harms our environment. It is a disaster for our oceans and waterways and it costs hundreds of millions to clear up.”
The MP also called on the Government to implement the deposit return scheme (DRS) for drinks containers that was included in the Environment Act that she presented to Parliament in 2020 when the Secretary of State.
“DRS should significantly reduce the number of bottles and cans which are thoughtlessly discarded,” she told MPs.
“I acknowledge that there are complexities here. In particular, we need to resolve the VAT issue which has arisen, but a deposit return scheme is a popular policy. It is also a manifesto commitment and many other countries have been operating such schemes for years.
“Let’s get this done. Let’s make it happen," she added.
