Drivers in England could soon lose their driving licences under tougher new powers aimed at tackling fly-tipping. An illegal dumping crackdown means courts will be able to issue between three and nine penalty points to offenders.
Repeat offenders who accumulate 12 or more points within three years are at risk of disqualification altogether, the Labour Party government has announced. Fly-tipping incidents in England rose to 1.26 million last year, an increase of 9% compared to the previous year. In some cases, individuals could receive up to nine points for a single incident.
Government's zero-tolerance approach
Labour MP and Defra Secretary Emma Reynolds described fly-tipping as "a disgrace that blights our communities, harms our environment and damages our economy." She added that courts will soon be able to "strip repeat fly-tippers of their driving licences, hitting offenders where it hurts and helping to clean up our streets."
Ms Reynolds continued: "Our message is simple: if you dump waste illegally, you will face the consequences." The Waste Crime Action Plan sets out what ministers describe as a "zero-tolerance approach." It includes measures to prevent crime at source and close regulatory loopholes.
Additional penalties for offenders
New proposals also require offenders to complete up to 20 hours of unpaid work cleaning streets and parks. They will also have to pay for the removal of waste they have dumped and may be publicly identified as part of enforcement action.
The government has confirmed that around £78 billion will be made available to councils in England this year. Labour says the funding will support local authorities in tackling fly-tipping and pursuing prosecutions. It underlines the government's commitment to giving councils the resources they need to keep communities clean and safe.
Convicted fly-tippers can already face heavy fines, community sentences or prison under existing legislation, the government has reminded road users.
