First civil enforcement penalties issued for littering from vehicles in Buckinghamshire

Buckinghamshire Council has issued its first fines to people captured in the act of littering from their vehicles using newly adopted civil enforcement powers.

The initiative, which forms part of the council's wider For Bucks Sake anti-littering campaign, aims to crack down on roadside littering and hold vehicle owners accountable for waste thrown from their cars.

The new powers, under the terms of the Littering from Vehicles Outside London (Keepers: Civil Penalties) Regulations 2018, allow the council to issue a Penalty Notice (PN) to the registered keeper of a vehicle from which litter is thrown, regardless of who committed the act. Buckinghamshire Council is one of the first councils in the country to implement this process which is more streamlined and quicker than the criminal route to prosecution but still sends a strong message to anyone who may be tempted to litter.

All three cases resulted in a penalty notice for £500 being issued. In the first case, dating from 4 April 2025, a van driver was caught on roadside CCTV discarding litter from the passenger side footwell while parked on the A412 in Denham. The footage was sent to the vehicle owner, and the fine was deducted from the drivers' wages.

The second incident took place in Bierton on 26 April 2025 when a driver threw a water bottle from his window on the A418. The offence was captured by a dashcam in the vehicle behind and submitted via the council website.

In the final case, in Iver on 15 May 2025, a small sack of litter was thrown from a moving vehicle on the A412, scattering waste across the road and hedgerows. The incident was once again captured by roadside CCTV.

In all three cases the maximum fine of £500 was given - and paid in full.

Last year the council launched the For Bucks Sake campaign to combat littering. As part of the initiative, drivers are asked to submit dashcam footage if they record evidence of littering from vehicles. Submissions must clearly show the offence and the vehicle's registration number. Evidence can be uploaded on the council website.(external site)

Carl Jackson, Buckinghamshire Council Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change & Waste, said: "We have a zero tolerance approach to littering of any kind in Buckinghamshire. I strongly encourage anyone who has footage of litter being dropped from a vehicle to send that video evidence to Buckinghamshire Council so we can identify the perpetrator and ensure they pay the penalty for their selfish and inconsiderate action." 

All income from fines is ring-fenced for environmental enforcement and street cleansing.