Litter wardens welcomed

Our story last week about the introduction of litter wardens to patrol the town centre provoked a flood of reader letters. Here are some of them

It is a fact that we are a nation full of rubbish. However, Ashford International Station is always full of cigarette butts and I don’t see many special bins to drop them in. You don’t need to pay £75. Just don’t drop it on the floor.

The worst offenders (I am sorry to say) are young people. Because it is your birthday, that is no excuse to drop litter.

Also, I should point out, Canterbury Road leading to the town, along by Bybrook Barn, has dog poo all over it.

If we want this planet to survive, we have to start producing less rubbish, and teach children from a very young age why the seas are polluted and we are killing the very source of our food that we will eat. Mrs Delfina T Brooks Kennington I’m delighted to read that Ashford Borough Council has begun to fine individuals for dropping litter.

I note that all cases mentioned in your article relate to smokers, many of whom thoughtlessly discard their stubs. However, they may suffer from being easy hits for the enforcers. Drinks cans and food wrappers are more visibly offensive and take much longer to degrade.

I think the level of fine is about right and look forward to cleaner streets. Philip Rickard Cheesemans Green Lane, Kingsnorth Regarding the dropping of litter in Ashford, it’s about time these people were fined as most of them can’t be bothered to put it in a bin or take it home.

The same goes for dog fouling. My grandson stepped in some and walked all over our carpet, which we had to pay to get cleaned. It’s not just the town centre. It’s the same in the rural areas.

I think the fines should be doubled. Carl Cooper Ashford Your headline suggests that litterbugs have fallen ‘victim’ to prowling litter wardens/enforcement officers.

On the contrary, the ‘victim’ has always been our poor town.

Those wardens were patrolling, not prowling, and anyone who has the slightest pride in their country and our town, would surely welcome the council’s action.

But patrolling is not enough on its own. We need more litter bins – ones that are emptied regularly.

Since most people don’t tend to litter when they think they are being watched, especially fly-tippers, then the wardens would indeed have to ‘prowl’ to catch them in the act. Perhaps more CCTV is called for.

This is one of those rare occasions when the council must be congratulated, even if their action is a rather belated one. Ted Prangnell, former litter prevention officer, Porirua City Council, New Zealand Kennington I have just been reading your piece about Ashford’s new enforcement officers.

In a way, I agree with what they do and it should start cleaning up the town, but it’s just another way for the council to waste money where it’s not really needed. It isn’t like the town is heavily littered.

Also, the officers think the rules do not apply to them. As I was walking through the town centre one afternoon, one of these officers lit up a cigarette and as soon as he finished flicked it into the street. So it’s just a joke really. D Wells Willesborough For once, I feel Ashford has got something correct.

Our town is now besieged with an army of disrespectful folk who feel it is acceptable to drop litter, spit chewing gum out and discard cigarette ends on to the floor. This new stance may just go some way to making these neanderthals think twice before they litter our streets.

Ashford really has plummeted in the nice-place-to-be stakes, and this is a good step to changing the street scene. Richard Lloyd Aldington The other day I was caught for dropping a cigarette butt that missed the ashtray by two inches outside my place of work.

But what really gets to me is the insecure method in which my personal data was recorded.

My address and description (irrelevant) are now being carried around in a notebook in the back pocket of one of the litter enforcement officers.

The council data protection policy only seems to cover their computer system, which states information is only kept as long as is necessary.

I’d like to know what happens to the hard copies. What happens to the notepads? Are they secured overnight? How long are they used? And how are they disposed of ? When is the information transferred to the system? Sophie Denne Ashford Well done Ashford Council.

This is the second time this year that you have done something really sensible.

May I suggest that for the second offence they should not only have the fine doubled, but should also be put in stocks (which I would be only too happy to provide)?

This would then give the good people of Ashford the opportunity of throwing the litter these thoughtless creatures have dropped back in their faces.

I am not a violent person, but having to pick litter up outside my farmhouse, almost every day does make me see red. Richard Beaugie Manor Farm, Shadoxhurst The new anti-litter campaign is the best thing to happen in Ashford for a long time.

Those complaining about being fined have the solution in their own hands, don’t they? Just don’t drop litter – simple. If you really cannot find a bin (although there are plenty), do what we were brought up to do – take your litter home with you. D Collins Ashford The article about ‘litter louts’ being fined was very interesting.

If the people dropping litter were more considerate, and had respect for other people and the environment, they would take their litter home or dispose of it in available litter bins.

As for the person dropping a cigarette, she was acting carelessly and irresponsibly. Unfortunately, this appears to be the case for many smokers, as many demonstrate disregard for other people.

During recent visits to the William Harvey Hospital, I observed several people smoking near the main entrance to the hospital and the entrance to the A&E department. Some were clearly patients. Used cigarettes can often be seen on the ground at the hospital. There are several signs or notices to show that smoking is not allowed anywhere within the hospital premises and grounds.

The Designer Outlet also has signs to show that smoking is not permitted. However, people still smoke, even right next to the signs.

It is also very unpleasant to have to pass by people smoking in, or very near, to shop or café entrances.

Such people are disregarding a reasonable and desirable requirement to not smoke in such places. David Birchall Willesborough