Freedom of Information (FOI) responses from local authorities, showed fines have risen from 445 in 2020 to more than 2,600 in 2024, and 2025 is already on track to break the record.
The sharp increase came as councils increased monitoring around key hotspots and targeted drivers and passengers who threw rubbish out of car windows.
According to the data, fines have more than quadrupled in five years, climbing year-on-year:
- 2020: 445 fines (estimated revenue £61,130)
- 2021: 881 (£121,022)
- 2022: 1,245 (£171,025)
- 2023: 2,168 (£297,818)
- 2024: 2,659 (£365,266)
- 2025 to date: 1,942 (£266,772 as of August)
With councils issuing an average of 243 fines per month so far this year – up from 221 per month in 2024 – totals are projected to exceed 2,900 by the end of 2025.
Cinch’s Motoring Expert, Ben Welham, commented: “The growing number of fines over the last five years shows councils are taking vehicle littering seriously and taking action.”
Bradford Council issues most fines
Bradford City Council was the UK’s most proactive enforcer, having issued 6,280 fines, far surpassing other regions. The top five authorities recorded:
- Bradford City Council (Yorkshire) – 6,280 fines
- Wigan Metropolitan Borough Council (North West) – 571
- North Lincolnshire Council (East Midlands) – 480
- Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council (North West) – 374
- Blackpool Borough Council (North West) – 260
Bradford City Council commented: “One of our officers was looking at a camera for a suspected fly tipping offence, and he noticed a lot of litter on the street.
“More analysis of the footage revealed vehicles outside a takeaway, throwing their rubbish out of the windows.
“We then added more cameras around littering hotspots near other takeaways. Now, we have between 20 and 30 cameras.”
Council powers and penalty levels
Under Rule 147 of the Highway Code, motorists are explicitly prohibited from throwing anything out of a vehicle including food waste, packaging, cigarette ends, cans, bottles or paper. Such behaviour constitutes an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Since 2018, councils have been able to issue fixed penalty notices of up to £500, with liability placed on the registered keeper of the vehicle, even if a passenger committed the offence.
Despite the maximum available penalty, most councils set fines between £100 and £150, with the national average sitting at £137.
According to the FOI data, Buckinghamshire Council was the only authority to have issued a fine at the full £500 level.
Welham added: “Bradford alone accounted for 2,294 of 2024’s total [fines], proving that technology can make a huge difference.
“If more local authorities adopt similar CCTV-led strategies, we could see the UK’s roadsides become cleaner.”
