RESIDENTS in Reading have been issued with more on-the-spot fines for fly-tipping than anywhere else outside London and Brighton, according to latest figures.
Reading Borough Council handed out more than 130 fines, ranging from £150 to £400, since new legislation was introduced in May 2016.
Local authorities were given greater powers to tackle the crime by issuing penalty notices as part of a Government crackdown.
Environment Minister Rory Stewart said: “It is beyond me that anyone feels it is acceptable to simply dump their waste by the road.
“The fixed penalty notices provide local authorities with another tool to crackdown on the selfish individuals who blight our neighbourhoods and ruin our beautiful landscape.
“The fines will act as a deterrent and we will continue to work with local authorities to tackle the root cause of the crime and change the mentality of the few who commit it.”
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