More ashtrays for town centre to combat rising litter

4.59.25pm GMT Tue 30th Oct 2007

Thirty more ashtrays have been added to bins in Northampton town centre to help combat the growing problem of cigarette litter.

Since the smoking ban came into force in July there has been a forty three percent rise nationally in cigarette butts dropped on the street.

Northampton Borough Council has refurbished a number of litterbins to help smokers in the town dispose of their cigarettes safely and responsibly.

Northampton Borough Councillor Trini Crake, cabinet member for environment said:

"We are doing everything we can to make it easy and convenient for smokers to dispose of their cigarette ends properly. The extra ashtrays will mean smokers in the town centre are never far away from somewhere to put their litter. They can also buy a stubbi pouch from the One Stop Shop at just £1.20 which is a fraction of the cost of a packet of cigarettes.

"People do need to remember that dropping a cigarette end on the floor is an offence and if they are caught they will face a £75 fine. Smokers wouldn't stub a cigarette out on the floor of their homes and we don't expect them to do it on the floor of our town either."

The council's recycling experts and the Neighbourhood Wardens will be holding a Roadshow in Abington Street on Friday where they will be handing out free stubbi pouches to smokers who would like one.