Been fined for littering in Manchester city centre recently?

You’re not the only one.

The M.E.N. can reveal the council has been on a blitz in 2018, doubling their ‘litter police’ team in size and handing out more than FIFTY fines a DAY.

In fact, the town hall has issued almost as many fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to people for dropping rubbish between April and July as they did in the previous THREE YEARS combined.

The total for the past four months is 6,527.

More than two thirds of them handed out in the city centre’s ‘commercial zone’ - the shopping area from Market Street down to Deansgate as well as Victoria Station and St Peter’s Square.

Other hotspots for getting an £80 ticket - which is reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days - include Piccadilly Gardens and the Northern Quarter where 731 and 319 were issued respectively.

Litter fines handed out in Manchester city centre (April-July) Manchester Council

Last summer, figures released under a Freedom of Information request showed 3GS, the private contractor brought in by the council, was handing out around six fines a day.

But in January this year the council decided to ramp up its approach to enforcement and double the number of officers from four to eight.

They are now also on patrol seven days a week having previously worked Monday to Saturday.

(Image: Dominic Salter)

The result has been an almost ten-fold increase in the amount of fines being handed out, from an average of 183 per month to 1,631 a month.

The council is unapologetic about its approach, arguing that there are plenty of bins available to be used and that there is no excuse for dropping litter regardless.

Councillor Rabnawaz Akbar said: “We believe the vast majority of decent people want to see a clean city centre that we can all be proud of and so we make no apologies for cracking down on selfish litter louts.

(Image: Mark Waugh)

“Our dedicated team of enforcement officers regularly patrol the busiest areas of the city, they won’t hesitate to take action against anyone littering, and those caught can expect a fine of up to £80.

“With some 700 bins across the city centre there is no excuse for anyone to carelessly drop their litter in the heart of Manchester.”

Not everyone is happy.

Shop owner Mubarak Bax runs EuroNews in Piccadilly Gardens believes the council’s approach is ‘heavy-handed’ and that the tactics employed by enforcement officers are ‘unfair’.

(Image: Manchester Evening News)

The 43-year-old claims he sees as many as eight people a day getting litter fines for dropping cigarette butts in the exact same spot outside his shop.

“Every single day I see them going up and down, up and down, every five minutes,” he said.

“They should be more visible, they wear all black.

“They should wear a high-vis jacket or something and act as a deterrent.”

Got a story or an issue you want us to investigate? Want to tell us about something going on where you live? Let us know - in complete confidence - by emailing newsdesk@men-news.co.uk, calling us on 0161 211 2323, tweeting us @MENnewsdesk or messaging us on our Facebook page. You can also send us a story tip using the form here. Join the Manchester Evening News breaking news Facebook group for a place to read and talk about breaking news in Greater Manchester.