REPORT inconsiderate drivers to the council and help stop the scourge of littering on the town’s roads – especially the Wessex Way.

This is the message from Cllr Michael Filer, who has responsibility for cleansing and waste at Bournemouth Borough Council.

He is urging people to report ‘rogue drivers’ to the council if they see them throwing rubbish out of car windows – which could see them hit with a fine.

Cllr Filer is calling for public support to tackle the problem – particularly along the Wessex Way where the litter problem has been branded an “eyesore".

“We really need cooperation from the general public," he added. "If they can report the registration numbers of any cars when they see rubbish being thrown out, we can act."

He said: “Residents are proud of the town. We all pay for cleansing on the roads through our council tax. We can deal with this with more requests for cleansing which inconveniences drivers and costs more money, or people can pack up and take their litter home."

He said littering was a “bad habit that needs to be changed” and said the public’s help could be “tremendously worthwhile” adding: “We’ve all seen the rubbish on the Wessex Way.”

Cllr Filer said he was also looking into funding for new signs on the A338 reminding drivers to take their litter home, and had raised the issue of better cleansing on the A338 beyond the borough boundary with Dorset County Council.

“I have been assured they are going to make an improvement,” he added.

Cllr David Smith, who has responsibility for planning and environment, said reports of littering motorists would go to the council’s environmental civil enforcement officers, who have the power to issue fixed penalty notices.

Cllr Smith said the facility was already in place – and he himself had used it to report drivers in the past.

People would need to provide the car registration, location and time of the littering incident, as well as a description of the driver, and be prepared to give evidence in court if necessary.

He added: “Drivers who do chuck litter out of their cars should think carefully about the damage they cause to the environment. It is also extremely expensive to do litter picks on the roadside, often requiring the road to be closed at night. Fines for such drivers could be an effective deterrent.”