Bristol 'litter police' targeting bus and train passengers

Since 2017, 2,500 people in Bristol have been prosecuted in court for littering offences

"Litter police" are unfairly targeting bus and train passengers and drivers who "put down cups" at stations without bins, campaigners claim.

Public transport and disability activists fear officials working on behalf of Bristol City Council are "laying in wait" to issue £100 fines.

They have called the practice a "major concern".

A council spokesperson said it would raise the concerns with its contractor 3GS.

The local authority said the company's role was to "educate and inform" the public and businesses, not just hit them with fixed penalty notices (FPNs).

It explained they are permitted to enter the bus station to approach people but "cannot and will not enforce offences within the bus station".

Bristol City Council has also admitted its efforts to stop smokers being fined in massive numbers have failed, with 19 out of every 20 FPNs post-pandemic being for dropped cigarette butts.

It comes as the authority announced it was on the hunt for a new operator to tackle the environmental crimes, which include fly-tipping and dog fouling, with spoils of £1.7m to whoever is awarded the contract, according to a report to cabinet.

Bristol has 1,620 street litter bins but none near the cafés in stations like Temple Meads

According to Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council recently approved a rise in fixed penalty notices for dropping rubbish from £100 to £150.

In a statement, David Redgewell and Gordon Richardson, of Bristol Disability Equality Forum, said environment enforcement officers are targeting passengers "who have put down cups outside the cafés outside the main bus station entrance".

"Bus and coach drivers have been targeted whilst having their breaks, sitting outside the station," they said.

Mr Redgewell and Mr Richardson said it gave passengers travelling from afar a poor first impression of the city - and had caused "distress for disabled people".

'Introducing more bins'

The campaigners said the council does not provide litter bins in the area of the cafés and there is "no notice by the council to say litter enforcement officers are in operation".

Mr Redgewell, who is also a member of Bristol Public Transport Safety Partnership, added: "I have watched with deep concern."

A council spokesperson said whilst the cleanliness of many parts of the city has improved, "we recognise more work needs to be done to encourage better behaviours".

They said this included introducing more bins "where possible".