£1000 Fines For Left Out Bins

29 July 2011, 12:46 | Updated: 29 July 2011, 12:55

A council are defending plans to hand £1000 fines to people who leave their bins out too long after they're emptied.

Bedford Borough Council have sent out letters to people in their area, warning that they could be liable to the penalty if bins are left on roads or pavements for more than 24 hours after they're collected.  The Council say they're taking the action because the bins create a hazard for blind people.

The action on bins is part of a Borough Council campaign called 'Why Would You?'.  The Council say they have been talking to the Royal National Institute for the Blind and Sight Concern who are both worried about bins.

Charles Royden, deputy Mayor of Bedford Borough Council said "If you're somebody who has sight, it's very hard to put yourself in the shoes of somebody who's trying to walk down the pavement who's blind.  Our campaign also covers littering and dog fouling and we're taking a zero tolerance approach to these environmental crimes."