Flying Squad Returns
19 September 2006
Keep Britain Tidy has congratulated Leeds City Council for its crackdown on flyer distribution which is causing a litter epidemic.
The council has announced it is creating no flyer zones around the city in a bid to cut down on hundreds of discarded leaflets being found on the streets.
Anyone found distributing flyers in the designated areas without a permit could face a fine of up to £2,500.
Keep Britain Tidy has campaigned long and hard to clean up streets blighted by litter and welcomes any constructive efforts to tackle the problem.
"It is impossible to walk down a high street without being bombarded by promotional bumph from bars, shops and restaurants touting for business," said Peter Gibson, Spokesperson for Keep Britain Tidy.
"People are less likely to go to the trouble of finding a bin after a flyer has been thrust into their hand. This is adding to the amount of litter found on our streets and is contributing to the massive £450,000 annual sum it costs to clean it up.
"It is only fair that those businesses which are the source of the problem cover the cost of clearing up, through a permit charge."
Leeds Council has introduced the measures before students arrive in the city for the start of the university term. It is expected that the number of flyers will increase as clubs and pubs compete for new customers. The new rules exclude flyers being distributed for religious, charitable or political purposes.
Leeds has recently been announced as one of the finalists in the Clean Britain Awards organised by the British Cleaning Council (BCC). Judges will be paying unannounced visits to the city over the next few months, to check that their streets remain clean and litter-free.