Published at 16:13, Wednesday, 20 August 2008

SIR, – If dropped cigarette butts and chewing gum are such a problem, could this be the solution? Seen affixed to a sign pole in Kirkcudbright – a gem town largely free from what causes us so much trouble and expense here in town.

Michael MOON, Chairman,

Whitehaven Heritage Action Group

SIR – ‘OAP fined £80 for stubbing cig in street’ screamed the headline in The Whitehaven News of August 14.

At first glance this appeared to be another interference by our glorious nanny state. Further reading made it clear that this was nothing more than a game of ‘he said, she said’. I do not believe the enforcement officer in question is as quick off the mark as the woman suggests, in that he pounced in the split-second between the cigarette hitting the ground and the lady stooping to retrieve it.

If her statement is to be taken on face value then this is a level of efficiency that is sadly lacking in other areas of our council.

The cost of the fixed penalty notice levied at this visitor is something that does need to be brought into question. Nobody likes litter cluttering our streets, nobody wants to see dog-ends and take-away wrappers piling up in gutters and doorways, but where is the justification in charging £80 for dropping an item of litter.

The same fixed penalty would also be handed to somebody dumping a half tonne of waste in a lay-by on the side of the road.

John MOONEY

Whitehaven

Published by http://www.whitehavennews.co.uk