Episode 4 Dom on the Spot


Episode 4

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Transcript


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Never before have so many on the spot fines been issued in Britain.

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You're about to fine me. I don't have any money for that.

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Come here.

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We're going to be following the men and women who hand out

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over ?30 million worth of tickets every month.

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That gets my goat.

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My jaw is dropping.

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For behaviour that's downright dangerous...

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..simply selfish...

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It's been defrosted a while, that, hasn't it?

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..or just, well, plain silly.

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Get off your phone!

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Doughnut.

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We'll be revealing the cost of their bad behaviour...

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How much is the fine on this one? ?100 for no seat belt. It's expensive. I know, yeah.

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..and how this could affect you.

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I'm in the middle of a job. I'm working. I'm a builder.

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The police are on it...

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Open...your mouth now!

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..the parking wardens are on it...

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So once it's printed, that's it. There's no point arguing the point.

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..and I'm on it...

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Put your seat belt on!

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Cheeky monkeys.

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I'm Dom Littlewood and I'm On The Spot.

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This time, in Cardiff, it's a fag butt bonanza.

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And people do it blatantly, right in front of you...

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I've got one. Like somebody obviously just has.

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Someone's in trouble.

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Belt up or pay up.

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Yep, that's the message from the traffic police.

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Your internal organs will carry on going...

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Yeah. So, if you're bouncing backwards and forwards

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because you've not got a seat belt on,

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you're going to bleed to death.

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And it's a case of, "Wild? They're absolutely furious!" down in Devon.

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You can't shoot them, you can't hang them, you can't do anything about it, can you?

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You know, human rights and all that jazz.

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The number of smokers in the UK is falling,

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but over 1,200 tonnes of cigarette butts

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are still ending up on our streets every single year.

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25% of smokers don't even think it's classed as littering

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to flick your fag butt on the ground.

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But perhaps an ?80 fine might make them think differently.

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What do you think of folk who throw fag butts in public places?

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Disgusting. Oh. How much should they be fined?

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?90,000. No, in reality, ?500.

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What, for dropping a cigarette butt? Yeah.

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People just dump stuff on the street

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and expect the council to take it away,

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which, of course, affects our council tax,

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because somebody's got to pay for it.

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Just looking around wherever you are, wherever you are in the world,

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there's always cigarette ends on the floor.

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So, if people were fined for doing it, then, yeah, I think it would be a good thing.

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Well, being a smoker, unfortunately,

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I'm one of them people that, when I have a cigarette, I throw the butt,

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but I always throw the butt in the roadway

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because that keeps the bloke employed

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who comes and sweeps the roads, obviously.

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Well, the fact is, mate, fag butts are litter.

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Councils all over the UK are fighting the scourge of cigarette butts.

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The capital of Wales is no different,

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and it's an expensive battle.

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Cardiff Council spend over ?5 million a year

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clearing up litter from their streets.

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And today I'm working with

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waste enforcement officers Steph and Lauren,

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who are going to try and help put a stop to that.

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This pair can sniff out a discarded dog end from 1,000 paces,

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and can dish out ?80 fines to anyone they catch in the act.

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You dropped your gloves.

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Oh. Cheers. Thanks.

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Hang on - fixed penalty.

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Right, fixed penalty, come on!

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But forget the odd dropped glove,

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these ladies are really on the lookout for butts.

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Fag butts, obviously.

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There's a guy down here smoking, in the black.

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Fag ends account for pretty much half of street litter,

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with around 200 million chucked away each day.

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Crikey, that's a lot of butts!

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Fag butt alert! And they've only been on patrol for five minutes.

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It's on the floor.

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Let's see what this guy has to say for himself.

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Was just crossing the road with the girls, we turned round,

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and, lo and behold, there was a guy standing there,

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watching us all across the road. Bang! Cigarette on the floor.

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So, they've now gone into the shop to try and get him out

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to have a chat with him.

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So, what was odd about it was, it was right in front of them.

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They've got "Waste Enforcement Officers" all over their jackets,

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so, no excuse, bang to rights.

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Hiya. All right?

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It's just about the cigarette that you dropped. OK.

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Yeah, obviously, that's an offence of littering. Right. OK?

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As you can see, the litter bin has got ashtrays on the top. OK.

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So, if you could use them in the future.

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So, let's review the evidence.

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Man smoking. Man throws fag end on the floor.

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It's an ?80 fixed penalty, discharges your liability.

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You don't have to pay it.

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If you don't pay it, it does go to court.

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If you pay it, it doesn't go to court. All right?

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It's a bit like a speeding fine. All right.

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So, first fine of the day,

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and they've only been here five minutes.

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Right. You realise now you've been fined 80 quid for that?

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Yeah, but that's ridiculous.

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I don't know. It's a lot of money, isn't it? It is. So, in future,

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is it going to stop you throwing your cigarettes on the floor?

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It is. OK.

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I suppose, in some ways, it's a painful lesson.

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Exactly. Spread the message out there, tell people,

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don't throw your fag butts down because there's a couple of ladies

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out here who are going to jump on you when it happens, you know? I know.

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Or give up smoking. Cheaper altogether! Ha-ha!

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Well, fair play to him. He took it on the chin

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and I reckon he's learned his lesson.

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Someone like him would probably throw litter in the bin...

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Yeah. But cigarette butts, he thinks it's all right.

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Most people will throw litter in the bin.

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It's frowned upon, but everyone throws cigarette on the floor,

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and that's why people think it's normal.

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It's changing their behaviours.

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It's getting the message out there. Yeah.

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And if anyone can get the message out there,

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it's litter detectives extraordinaire, Steph and Lauren.

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Your job - are you quite passionate about it, or is it just a job?

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I'm... I don't like littering.

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Never have, even when I was younger.

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Don't like it at all.

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I don't like to see dirty places.

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So, yeah, I think I am quite passionate about it.

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Where's she gone?

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Lauren's just spotted this guy dropping his fag butt

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on the floor right behind us.

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Has she got eyes on the back of her head?

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I tell you what, she misses nothing. She is...

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Oh! Out comes the fine pad.

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..if you don't mention, when questioned,

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something that you later rely on in court.

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Anything you do say will be given in evidence.

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Do you understand? Yes.

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All of a sudden, Lauren there was gone like a ferret.

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She spotted this guy, who literally walked past.

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He's gone - pff! - with his cigarette butt.

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She doesn't miss a trick and, lo and behold, he is getting an ?80 fine,

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by the looks of it. And I think he was on his way into church.

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The confession box, I hope.

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Well, praying won't do much good,

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because this guy just might be on the receiving end of the second fine

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these ladies have dished out in 15 minutes.

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You've done it right in front of them,

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which is, when you think about it, bad,

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but then you were saying you didn't even realise it was an offence.

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No. So, what do you think would be fair?

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Maybe a warning for the first occasion, and that. OK.

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You know what I mean? Just the scare of the ?80 penalty would be enough, I think. Yeah.

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It is going to change your attitude to...?

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Yeah. Thanks for talking to us.

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Appreciate it. I'm sorry about the money.

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It's bonkers how many people don't see cigarette butts as littering,

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but your nicotine-filled fag end takes up to 12 years to degrade.

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Yuck. It's obvious, but for some reason,

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people just tend to be that little bit ignorant about it, don't they?

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Yeah. Which is a bit of a sad thing, isn't it? You know? Oh, well.

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Onwards and upwards.

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Cor, it's a lot warmer this side, isn't it?

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But there's no rest for the wicked.

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Especially not these two.

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Sometimes you can literally just stand here, watch the high street,

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and people do it blatantly, right in front of you... I've got one.

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Like somebody obviously just has.

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OK. Someone's in trouble.

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I can't believe it. Not another one!

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That cigarette that you threw on the floor.

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Just need to speak to you about this.

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Obviously, it's an offence of littering. Are you aware of that?

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No. I didn't know that. No? Are you going to give me a fine?

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It's going to be an ?80 fixed penalty notice.

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Yeah. So, do you know that is littering, the cigarettes, no?

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No, I didn't. There's nowhere else to put them, is there?

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Nowhere to put it? There's a bin over there.

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I ain't going to stay here. You're writing it down. Just give me a ticket.

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Just try and use a bin next time,

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because it costs a lot of money to pick it up, all right?

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Yeah. All right, sorry about that. Have a nice day.

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That's three lots of ?80 up in smoke

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and we've only been here 45 minutes.

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How do you feel? Like, I would have picked it up on the floor,

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just then, and put it in the bin if the woman asked me.

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I didn't know. I didn't think of it. I wouldn't think of it like that.

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Now, I would put it in the bin.

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If you had other rubbish, say like that bottle of drink there...

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I'd put it in the bin, yeah. I would.

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So, that's really annoyed you.

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Will it stop you doing it again, though, in the future? Yeah, of course.

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I do feel sorry for you.

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Obviously, no-one wants to see anyone getting a fine.

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It's 80 quid, isn't it? But for the sake of a fag...

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It was an expensive fag, wasn't it?

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It was.

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This bunch seem to have learned their lesson.

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So, hopefully, a small dent in the 120 tonnes of fag ends

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that get chucked every day.

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Stop it, people, or this pair will be after you.

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The girls' shift is over. They've finished for the day.

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They've given out quite a few tickets today.

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Sadly all for the same thing.

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People throwing cigarette butts on the floor.

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It's an ?80 fine.

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The message is getting through, but it's a painful one.

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In the seaside town of Sidmouth in Devon,

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there's been a wave of anti-social behaviour.

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Theft, harassment, and grievous bodily harm.

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Criminals hanging around in gangs, waiting to strike.

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Seagulls have become a menace in our towns and cities

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as they patrol the skies looking for food.

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And, occasionally, local people have been caught in the crossfire.

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But feed the gulls here,

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and you could be in for a hefty fine.

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Former Exmouth town councillor Ian Stewart

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was visiting Sidmouth with his wife and two grandsons

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when they decided to stop and grab a sandwich.

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My grandson and I were sitting there, and I got the crab sandwich,

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and was just about to take a bite out of it,

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and I remember feeling and hearing a thud.

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And then this flash of white.

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And Henry looked and said, "Why have you got blood on your arm, Papa?"

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It was warm, I'd got a T-shirt on,

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and I looked down, sure enough, there was the blood.

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Suddenly, it all clicked into place,

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that I'd been attacked.

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I'd been attacked by a gull.

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It looked a lot worse than it was, but, given where it was, you know,

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you eat through there...

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Thank God it was me and not Henry.

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The mugging from above left Ian dazed and confused,

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but he was lucky to get away relatively unscathed.

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And Sidmouth's local businesses are also suffering

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the wrath of these flying foragers.

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Seagulls are being a complete pain, to be honest.

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What I call rats in the sky.

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Such a nuisance, they are taking food off the customers, off the plates.

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They are also coming around eating the ice creams.

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They have got this certain kind of technique,

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how they can fly behind customers,

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and they sort of swoop in one, kind of, motion,

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take the food and fly away at the same time.

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But local town councillor Simon Pollentine

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thinks the gulls are victims of bad press.

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It's become higher profile.

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There's been incidences of David Cameron

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having his chips nicked in Cornwall, somewhere.

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And it's not just chips.

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This cheeky chappie was seen at a bakery near Newcastle

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helping himself to a packet of crisps.

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Hang on, he hasn't paid for those!

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I don't think seagulls attack people.

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I think what we have here is...

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..a situation where the gulls are in the wrong place.

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They should be out on the cliffs, nesting

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and there is a very ready source of food for them here.

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I think this is purely food driven.

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So, perhaps is not the birds' fault.

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After all, they need to eat, too.

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And some people have even encouraged the birds by feeding them.

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We have told some people.

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We have actually gone and told them explaining to them

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that there is a problem, please don't feed them.

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Most of them laugh it away, or say,

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"Look, we're here on holiday, we like to feed the seagulls."

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I don't think people really understand

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what they are doing, the damage they are doing in the seafronts.

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It's led the council to introduce new rules.

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Those caught feeding a seagull here

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could be hit with an ?80 on the spot fine.

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And the new penalties seem to be welcomed by the locals.

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I have personal experience.

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My grandson came to visit me and burst into tears

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when a seagull swooped down and ate his ice cream.

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You can't shoot them, you can't hang them,

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you can't do anything about it, can you?

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You know, human rights and all that jazz.

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Er, I don't think we need to go that far.

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But what about the fine?

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Is ?80 enough to stop people feeding them?

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Well, why don't you make it a round hundred, for goodness' sake?

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You know, ?80.

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You know? ?100 at least.

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Possibly ?200.

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?200?!

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Gordon Bennett! You wouldn't have any money left for an ice cream.

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My view is that, now they have got the signs up,

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and the bylaw is in place, if they had a season's blitz on it,

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that would send a very good message that we've introduced this,

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and we're actually going to follow it up, and we will fine you.

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But the locals here want to call a truce.

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They're hoping to find a way to live alongside their feathered friends.

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I think seagulls, gulls generally, are amazing.

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They are all here on the shoreline, flying up and dropping mussels,

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and I say, "Great, that's what you should be doing."

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But they don't listen.

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Until the time comes when we can live together in harmony...

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..when you're at the seaside, keep an eye on your lunch,

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or you could be going home hungry.

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Today, I'm on traffic patrol with Greater Manchester Police,

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who are always on the lookout for dangerous drivers.

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But nowadays, if you are caught

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using your mobile phone when driving,

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or speeding, some bigger than ever fines might be heading your way.

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I always enjoy my trips up north,

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and especially when I get the chance to drop into Manchester,

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home to two fantastic football teams.

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Well, three if you count Man City.

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I'm here on patrol with PC Matt Picton

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and though the city is set to be the fastest-growing in the north,

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it doesn't look like we're in a hurry to go anywhere today.

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What are we doing here, then, Matt?

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OK, it's got to, sort of, half past four,

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so, obviously, the roads are getting busy now,

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so the chances of us getting to places anywhere quickly

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are pretty slim, to be fair.

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So, rather than us sitting in standing traffic...

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..we'll plot up on a major arterial route.

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So, the M6O2 is in that direction...

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Yeah. Manchester United and the city is in that direction.

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And we'll just monitor traffic.

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Coming through, passing by.

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So, the usual - mobile phones, seat belts.

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Seat belts?! Do people still not wear them?

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I can't believe that.

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To promote any good driving...

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And there's a gentleman just gone past with no seat belt on.

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God, you've got eagle eyes.

0:16:080:16:09

I stand very much corrected.

0:16:090:16:11

Although, it doesn't make it any easier to understand.

0:16:110:16:14

The law was brought in in '83.

0:16:140:16:16

34 years ago.

0:16:160:16:18

Why would you not want to wear your seat belt?

0:16:180:16:20

It doesn't really make sense, does it? No. It's madness, to me.

0:16:200:16:23

If you've not got your seat belt on and you are involved in a collision,

0:16:230:16:27

and you travel forwards, your internal organs will carry on going.

0:16:270:16:30

So, if you are bouncing backwards and forwards

0:16:300:16:32

because you've not got a seat belt on,

0:16:320:16:34

you're going to get massive trauma in your internal organs,

0:16:340:16:36

and potentially bleed to death.

0:16:360:16:38

It's not like it interferes with your driving, or anything, these days.

0:16:380:16:42

Surely the car's bleeping at him all the time.

0:16:420:16:45

Sometimes they fasten them behind them,

0:16:450:16:47

but most advanced warning systems in cars,

0:16:470:16:49

they don't bleep for any longer than, sort of, 30 seconds.

0:16:490:16:53

Obviously, he's quickly putting his seat belt on, isn't he?

0:16:560:16:59

He's just put it on now, hasn't he?

0:16:590:17:00

Which is pretty pointless when we've already seen him.

0:17:000:17:03

Matt's right. I'd definitely say that not only has that horse already bolted,

0:17:030:17:07

it's done a few laps of the Grand National, too.

0:17:070:17:10

I'm guessing this driver must have a very good excuse

0:17:100:17:13

why he's refused to belt up.

0:17:130:17:14

Do you know why I've stopped you? No. Not wearing a seat belt?

0:17:140:17:17

Yeah. Why do you not wear your seat belt?

0:17:170:17:19

Come on. Honestly, I don't know.

0:17:190:17:20

It's not like it interferes with your driving or anything, is it?

0:17:200:17:23

Right, OK. Is it your car? Yeah. Is it registered and insured to you?

0:17:230:17:26

Yeah. Right, OK. Do you have your licence or anything with you?

0:17:260:17:30

Good to hear he's instantly admitted he did it.

0:17:300:17:32

Come and take a seat in the car. Yeah. On that side, mate, yeah.

0:17:320:17:35

34 years ago, 1983,

0:17:360:17:39

is when it became an offence not to wear your seat belt

0:17:390:17:42

when driving a car.

0:17:420:17:43

This guy here didn't put it on.

0:17:440:17:47

Now, no doubt, his car was either bleeping constantly,

0:17:470:17:49

telling him to put it on, or he's put it behind him,

0:17:490:17:52

so he's not wearing it.

0:17:520:17:53

Why would you actually not want to wear a seat belt?

0:17:530:17:56

There's not really a justifiable reason.

0:17:560:17:58

I mean, you know, it's for your own safety! It's not uncomfortable.

0:17:580:18:01

I'll see if I can have a chat with him in a minute and find out why,

0:18:010:18:04

because this probably just cost him 100 quid.

0:18:040:18:07

I don't think it's endorsable but, you know,

0:18:070:18:09

I can't work out the logic behind it.

0:18:090:18:11

So, looking at the evidence, this seems pretty clear.

0:18:120:18:15

Not only did eagle-eyed Matt

0:18:150:18:17

see this driver not wearing his seat belt,

0:18:170:18:19

he's gone and admitted it, too.

0:18:190:18:21

So, now he's looking down the barrel of a possible ?100 fine.

0:18:210:18:25

But will the fact he fessed up so quickly work in his favour?

0:18:250:18:29

Will Matt let him off with just a warning?

0:18:290:18:32

The offence for which you have been stopped and going to be reported for

0:18:320:18:35

today, is failing to wear a seat belt. We know that, it's OK.

0:18:350:18:38

You do not have to say anything.

0:18:380:18:39

It may harm your defence if you do not mention when questioned

0:18:390:18:41

something which you later rely on in court.

0:18:410:18:43

Anything you do say may be given in evidence.

0:18:430:18:44

We've cautioned you, but we can deal with it by means of a fixed penalty.

0:18:440:18:47

Nope. He's hitting him hard where it hurts - in the wallet. ?100. Ouch!

0:18:470:18:51

OK, my friend. Right, traffic offence report.

0:18:510:18:54

It is a straightforward fine.

0:18:540:18:55

There's no points on your driving licence for this offence,

0:18:550:18:58

it's just a straightforward fine.

0:18:580:19:00

You don't pay it now, we send a letter to your home address.

0:19:000:19:03

The fact he's not getting any points on his licence

0:19:030:19:05

is perhaps the only good news for him today.

0:19:050:19:08

Let's see what he's got to say for himself.

0:19:080:19:10

You didn't have your seat belt on, did you? No.

0:19:100:19:12

I've got to be honest, I can't see the logic behind that.

0:19:120:19:14

I don't know. I never really wear it, to be honest.

0:19:140:19:17

You just don't feel comfy when you've got it on.

0:19:170:19:19

That's the best excuse I can give you.

0:19:190:19:21

It ain't a good one, is it? In all fairness, is it?

0:19:210:19:24

I know, yeah. But... I don't know.

0:19:240:19:26

You can probably afford 100 quid, but it ain't nice, is it? No, it's not nice.

0:19:260:19:29

How do you feel about the officer there and what he has just done?

0:19:290:19:32

To be fair, he was the nicest officer I've had pull me,

0:19:320:19:34

you know what I mean? Yeah. Dead polite, no problems. Yeah.

0:19:340:19:37

So long as you state that is legal, he's got no issues, has he?

0:19:370:19:40

Yeah. And the fact that you've received this penalty of 100 quid,

0:19:400:19:42

you've got no chip on your shoulder about it?

0:19:420:19:44

No, nothing. He's caught me, hasn't he? No seat belt.

0:19:440:19:47

He's given me a fine. Simples. Are you going to change your ways?

0:19:470:19:50

I'd like to say, yeah, but probably not.

0:19:500:19:53

That's your beer money for a weekend, isn't it?

0:19:530:19:55

Yeah. You know? You could have taken the missus out for a nice...

0:19:550:19:58

Don't tell her that! Well, she'll be watching this.

0:19:580:20:00

You could have had a nice night out on Seb here,

0:20:000:20:03

but, instead, he spent his money on not wearing seat belts.

0:20:030:20:06

Right, you're going to be in trouble now. Nice talking to you.

0:20:060:20:09

I hope this chap isn't getting too much of an ear-bashing right now

0:20:090:20:12

and it's good he's able to have a laugh about it,

0:20:120:20:15

but there is a very serious reason

0:20:150:20:17

why we should all be clunk-clicking on every single trip.

0:20:170:20:20

Since the scrapping of the paper tax disc,

0:20:220:20:24

car clamping has gone up to over 9,000 vehicles a month,

0:20:240:20:28

about 110,000 a year.

0:20:280:20:30

So unless you want one of these little beauties, tax your car.

0:20:300:20:34

It's not rocket science.

0:20:340:20:36

Citizens have a duty to tax their car, so if you haven't done that,

0:20:360:20:41

you're not really playing the game.

0:20:410:20:43

Anybody who hasn't got their road tax really shouldn't be on the road.

0:20:430:20:47

If they can't afford the road tax, don't go on the road.

0:20:470:20:50

Clamping, if they don't pay, I think that's fair enough.

0:20:500:20:53

You should have a fine for that instead of clamps.

0:20:550:20:58

Clamp is not nice.

0:20:580:21:00

In the two and a half years since they got rid of paper tax discs,

0:21:000:21:04

the amount of cars clamped has almost doubled

0:21:040:21:06

because the simple fact is,

0:21:060:21:08

if you don't tax your car,

0:21:080:21:10

you're either going to get a hefty fine,

0:21:100:21:12

or lose it completely.

0:21:120:21:13

In South Wales,

0:21:140:21:15

it's Andrew Smith's job to ensure that untaxed vehicles are clamped...

0:21:150:21:19

..and the owners fined.

0:21:210:21:23

Normally what will happen is you'll get designated

0:21:290:21:33

a postcode area to be in and you'll travel to that area.

0:21:330:21:38

And, basically, do as much of that area as possible.

0:21:380:21:42

And today, Andrew's roaming the streets of Cardiff using his ANPR,

0:21:420:21:47

or automatic number plate recognition cameras.

0:21:470:21:50

I have four cameras, two on the front, two on the back.

0:21:520:21:54

And basically all it's doing is reading the number plates,

0:21:550:21:58

so, as we're driving by,

0:21:580:22:00

it's scanning each vehicle and each number plate and we have, obviously,

0:22:000:22:03

a computer in the back of the van that holds the database.

0:22:030:22:07

And if your vehicle is one of the half a million without road tax,

0:22:090:22:13

look out!

0:22:130:22:14

COMPUTER: Attention.

0:22:140:22:16

He's only been out for ten minutes.

0:22:160:22:18

Could Andrew have his first clamp of the day?

0:22:180:22:20

A lot of getting in and out.

0:22:200:22:21

This one comes back as being on a Sorn.

0:22:240:22:27

So what a Sorn is is a Statutory Off Road Notice.

0:22:270:22:30

What they're actually telling the DVLA

0:22:300:22:31

is that they're not going to be using the car

0:22:310:22:33

and they're keeping it off the road.

0:22:330:22:36

So, with that, they wouldn't necessarily have to have

0:22:360:22:38

the vehicle taxed,

0:22:380:22:40

but obviously we've come across it and it's on the public highway.

0:22:400:22:44

So the owner of this vehicle claims they don't have to pay car tax

0:22:440:22:48

because the car isn't kept on a public road.

0:22:480:22:51

But you don't need any special technology to see that it most certainly is.

0:22:510:22:56

So, clamp out...

0:22:560:22:57

..assume the position...

0:22:580:23:00

And say hello to a ?100 fine.

0:23:020:23:05

But - hold your horses - it looks like the owner's here.

0:23:090:23:12

Now, don't worry, mate. The car's not going anywhere.

0:23:120:23:15

You did have time to put your trousers on.

0:23:150:23:17

Right, Andrew, time to explain the very complex term "off road."

0:23:170:23:21

A Statutory Off Road Notice is just that.

0:23:210:23:25

It's an off road notice.

0:23:250:23:26

What you doing is you're keeping it on the public highway.

0:23:260:23:29

No, he still doesn't get it.

0:23:290:23:30

What you're doing is you're parking it on the public highway.

0:23:320:23:34

You've told the DVLA that you're keeping it off road, but you're not.

0:23:340:23:37

It's off the road. Yeah, but it's on the public highway.

0:23:370:23:41

OK, try one more time, Andrew.

0:23:410:23:43

To keep a vehicle on the public highway, it has to be taxed,

0:23:430:23:46

so if you tax the vehicle, OK, there would be fines to pay with that.

0:23:460:23:50

Once all of those are paid, the clamp can come off.

0:23:500:23:53

Once the clamp's off, OK, you're then given 24 hours to move the vehicle.

0:23:530:23:57

It turns out it's his girlfriend's car, but whoever it belongs to,

0:23:570:24:01

they're still going to be at least ?100 out of pocket.

0:24:010:24:04

Yeah, he was under the impression that he was doing the right thing

0:24:050:24:09

in having the vehicle on the Sorn.

0:24:090:24:10

Obviously, he's not, because it's on the public highway.

0:24:110:24:14

If he'd have had it on his driveway or in the parking for the flats,

0:24:140:24:20

then, yeah, he would have been within his rights.

0:24:200:24:23

Well, the owner did pay the fine and the car tax,

0:24:250:24:28

so the clamp was removed.

0:24:280:24:31

That's the first of the day and, I dare say,

0:24:330:24:35

it won't be the last one of the day.

0:24:350:24:37

Non-payment of road tax costs the UK economy around ?80 million a year,

0:24:370:24:42

money that could be spent keeping the roads up to scratch.

0:24:420:24:46

So if your car's on the road, you need to pay for it.

0:24:460:24:49

COMPUTER: Attention. And someone's sat in it.

0:24:490:24:52

I'm not sure that the driver of this car was expecting Andrew to appear.

0:24:520:24:56

Hiya, is this your vehicle?

0:24:570:24:59

It's coming back on the DVLA database as being untaxed.

0:24:590:25:02

Are you sure, definitely sure that it's come out every month?

0:25:020:25:06

The driver claims that she has a direct debit set up

0:25:060:25:08

to pay her car tax.

0:25:080:25:10

I'll just make sure that it's the right registration number that's come up.

0:25:100:25:14

So, Andrew will have to double-check before he can take any action,

0:25:140:25:18

but it's not good news.

0:25:180:25:19

No, it's still coming back as being untaxed.

0:25:190:25:22

So, a car parked on the side of the road doesn't have current road tax.

0:25:220:25:26

Is it a clamp, or will Andrew take pity on her?

0:25:260:25:30

Basically, what I'm going to have to do is immobilise the vehicle.

0:25:310:25:34

Maybe not. The driver says she can't get home if her car's clamped.

0:25:340:25:38

No kidding. But wants to put it on her mum's driveway.

0:25:380:25:41

I can't... I can't allow you to move the vehicle.

0:25:410:25:44

Basically, I'm not supposed to, all right?

0:25:440:25:46

What's supposed to happen is the clamp's supposed to go on now.

0:25:460:25:49

Because I'm not supposed to allow you to drive the vehicle because according to the database,

0:25:490:25:53

according to all the information I'm getting,

0:25:530:25:56

is that your vehicle comes back as being untaxed.

0:25:560:25:58

I have to put the clamp on.

0:25:580:26:00

She says she's embarrassed at being clamped and, to be fair,

0:26:000:26:03

I think I would be too.

0:26:030:26:05

I understand that. I understand that it's a bit of an embarrassment,

0:26:060:26:11

but what I'm telling you

0:26:110:26:12

is that I'm not allowed to allow you to move the vehicle.

0:26:120:26:15

I have to stick the clamp on.

0:26:170:26:18

It's then up to her to ring the DVLA

0:26:190:26:22

and they can sort it out between themselves.

0:26:220:26:26

Well, she tried,

0:26:300:26:31

but it looks like it's game over for this unhappy driver

0:26:310:26:34

who, despite her pleas, couldn't change Andrew's mind.

0:26:340:26:38

Obviously, you've got to try and be fair across the board,

0:26:380:26:41

so those people that aren't there to fight their corner,

0:26:410:26:44

you can't turn around for the people that are there to say,

0:26:440:26:48

"Well, OK, you are here."

0:26:480:26:50

Well, the driver was there, but she's also got a ?100 fine.

0:26:500:26:54

That's two clamps so far

0:26:570:26:59

and I've got a feeling Andrew might be going back

0:26:590:27:01

to the depot with an empty van today.

0:27:010:27:04

We have five clamps, one ticket, and one insurance.

0:27:080:27:12

It's not bad for a couple of hours, that isn't.

0:27:140:27:17

He's a nice fellow, Andrew, but don't pay for car tax...

0:27:170:27:21

COMPUTER: Attention.

0:27:210:27:22

..and he might just appear, armed with his trusty clamps.

0:27:220:27:26

Box junctions,

0:27:370:27:38

red routes, and don't forget those funny signs

0:27:380:27:41

that look like a motor bike is jumping over a car.

0:27:410:27:44

Sometimes it can seem like there is more paintwork

0:27:440:27:47

and hardware on our roads

0:27:470:27:48

than on the shelves of your local DIY supermarket.

0:27:480:27:51

But it's all there for our safety and convenience.

0:27:510:27:54

But if you, the hapless motorist,

0:27:540:27:56

should fall foul of all this street signage and find yourself with a fine,

0:27:560:28:01

then it's going to hurt. However, don't give up hope.

0:28:010:28:04

If you're in London and think you are innocent,

0:28:040:28:07

then bring your story plus any photos, videos,

0:28:070:28:10

even letters from your mum along with you to here,

0:28:100:28:13

the London Tribunals,

0:28:130:28:15

to have your case heard by an impartial

0:28:150:28:18

and professional adjudicator.

0:28:180:28:20

Last year, they heard about 40,000 cases

0:28:200:28:22

and almost half of them were successful.

0:28:220:28:25

So if you feel a bit aggrieved, it's worth fighting your case.

0:28:250:28:29

I'm meeting up with Ora,

0:28:300:28:32

who is hoping he's going to be one of the lucky 50%.

0:28:320:28:35

Good to meet you.

0:28:350:28:36

Now, you're not watching a video there of a movie, are you?

0:28:360:28:39

No. What is it?

0:28:390:28:41

It's the actual incident that happened and it's a box junction.

0:28:410:28:45

And your defence here is what?

0:28:450:28:47

Basically, there was plenty of room at the box junction, on the lane,

0:28:470:28:52

and I went through,

0:28:520:28:53

but another car in another lane came and this one stopped here.

0:28:530:28:58

And there was no room.

0:28:580:29:00

I suppose the argument is, you know,

0:29:000:29:02

the Highway Code says they must be empty before you enter the space.

0:29:020:29:05

Must be room for you to exit them, isn't there?

0:29:050:29:07

Well, I mean, it's just the rear tyres but it's not impeding any...

0:29:070:29:12

Anything, really. You've obviously got quite a fair argument.

0:29:120:29:15

What do you think your chances are here?

0:29:150:29:17

Well, I just look at logic and reason.

0:29:180:29:20

If you've got logic and reason, it should be fine.

0:29:200:29:23

How much is your fine at the moment?

0:29:230:29:25

?130.

0:29:250:29:27

Ouch.

0:29:270:29:28

OK. Well, good luck.

0:29:280:29:30

Thank you. I'll be sitting in the back

0:29:300:29:31

and I'll be keeping my fingers crossed for you. Cheers.

0:29:310:29:35

130 quid, ouch indeed.

0:29:350:29:38

Let's hope for his sake logic and reason are on his side,

0:29:380:29:42

as adjudicator Belinda is waiting.

0:29:420:29:44

Hello. Come and take a seat, please.

0:29:470:29:48

Thank you for seeing me.

0:29:480:29:50

But first, she wants to give Ora a quick Highway Code refresher.

0:29:500:29:53

So, before we look at the evidence, can I just,

0:29:540:29:57

probably telling you what you already know,

0:29:570:30:00

but can I just explain about box junctions?

0:30:000:30:03

If we imagine this is the box junction,

0:30:030:30:06

the way that the legislation was set up

0:30:060:30:08

and the wording that's used is for motorists to, in their vehicle,

0:30:080:30:13

stay one side of the junction,

0:30:130:30:16

conscious of the dimension of their vehicle,

0:30:160:30:19

until they can see enough space the other side of the junction

0:30:190:30:23

to completely accommodate that vehicle.

0:30:230:30:26

That's what I said!

0:30:260:30:28

Any stopping of any part of the vehicle within the crosshatched area

0:30:280:30:33

is a contravention.

0:30:330:30:34

He's got my sympathy,

0:30:340:30:36

but anyone else get the feeling Ora might have to box clever

0:30:360:30:39

if he's going to win this one?

0:30:390:30:40

So, let's see how this one pans out, yes?

0:30:400:30:44

So, the traffic's moving and this is you, isn't it?

0:30:440:30:47

The red vehicle. Yes, and this one...

0:30:470:30:49

You see, there's plenty of space up ahead and then this vehicle starts

0:30:490:30:52

indicating now to go left, so this vehicle here...

0:30:520:30:57

Erm, you know, obviously...

0:30:580:31:00

And I was beeping my horn and, you know, it was very frustrating.

0:31:000:31:04

And so that leaves you with your rear wheels...

0:31:040:31:06

I would have had plenty of space.

0:31:060:31:09

And it has happened after,

0:31:100:31:11

so these are extraordinary circumstances which were in milliseconds.

0:31:110:31:17

Is that a glimmer of sympathy on Belinda's face?

0:31:180:31:21

Ora might be winning this.

0:31:210:31:23

Can I just take it forward to one spot and then explain something?

0:31:230:31:28

Hmm... Maybe not.

0:31:280:31:29

If we stop it here,

0:31:290:31:32

the idea of the legislation as I explained to you is that you wait

0:31:320:31:35

here until you can see that there's enough space the other side.

0:31:350:31:39

This is the only way to avoid a contravention.

0:31:390:31:43

But you didn't wait and you proceeded

0:31:430:31:47

on the anticipation, I think, really, that you would have a space.

0:31:470:31:52

Just to interject...

0:31:520:31:53

Yes. Sorry.

0:31:530:31:55

I mean, there's about four or five feet ahead of this vehicle and

0:31:550:31:59

there's about three or four feet ahead of this vehicle.

0:31:590:32:03

And ahead of that one, so...

0:32:030:32:05

So, yes, it's a general anticipation, isn't it?

0:32:050:32:08

By motorists that they're all going to move at a pace and fill up those

0:32:080:32:12

spaces and unfortunately... And then that vehicle stopped straightaway.

0:32:120:32:16

It didn't pan out as you anticipated, did it?

0:32:160:32:20

I think she's got you boxed in there, Ora.

0:32:200:32:22

To be appreciative of the law, you know, I understand that the...

0:32:220:32:27

You know, that is the law. Yes.

0:32:270:32:28

With box junctions, but, please,

0:32:280:32:31

I've never done this before and I'd like you to take into account that

0:32:310:32:36

there were circumstances there that were not in my control.

0:32:360:32:42

Right, let's take stock.

0:32:420:32:44

Ora's video evidence shows he thought he would have enough space,

0:32:440:32:47

but then he didn't, but only by a foot or so.

0:32:470:32:51

What is it going to be? I know what I think.

0:32:510:32:53

It's strict liability.

0:32:540:32:55

Your vehicle is in the junction.

0:32:550:32:57

I cannot find that you, your vehicle was cut up at that point.

0:32:570:33:02

And so I have to refuse this appeal.

0:33:020:33:04

That it. Fine upheld.

0:33:060:33:08

Say goodbye to 130 quid, I'm afraid.

0:33:080:33:10

That is the end of the case.

0:33:100:33:11

Can I make another appeal?

0:33:110:33:13

Because I feel that I was not in the wrong there at all.

0:33:130:33:16

But he won't get back in the box that easily.

0:33:160:33:19

Well, I found that a contravention did occur.

0:33:190:33:21

Yeah, that is due to another vehicle's intervention.

0:33:210:33:25

Further along the line, not in front of yourself.

0:33:250:33:28

Yes. So the contravention did occur.

0:33:280:33:30

The thing is, I am asking for some leniency,

0:33:300:33:32

because I'm not actually impeding the box...

0:33:320:33:35

Well, as I indicated at the beginning of the hearing,

0:33:350:33:38

I am here to determine whether a contravention occurred or not.

0:33:380:33:42

My remit does not extend to altering

0:33:420:33:44

the amounts of the penalties that are involved.

0:33:440:33:47

They are set by statute.

0:33:470:33:48

It is ?130, I have found that a contravention occurred.

0:33:480:33:53

I will have to refuse this appeal.

0:33:530:33:55

Thank you. You will receive, as I say, my decision in the post,

0:33:550:33:59

in writing, in due course.

0:33:590:34:01

OK, that is your decision, then.

0:34:010:34:03

Thank you. Thank you.

0:34:030:34:04

Good day to you.

0:34:060:34:08

I was right.

0:34:080:34:09

But maybe I should stop with the dodgy box puns,

0:34:090:34:12

I don't think Ora is that happy.

0:34:120:34:13

I think I can sense how you're feeling. Er...

0:34:130:34:17

I feel a bit dejected, you know,

0:34:170:34:18

because those were events out of my circumstances,

0:34:180:34:22

and she was kind of right about me moving too fast.

0:34:220:34:27

You kept fighting your corner, you certainly...

0:34:270:34:29

You didn't throw the towel in easy. But she wasn't budging, was she?

0:34:290:34:33

No, I think...

0:34:330:34:35

The way that they do it is if you have anything

0:34:350:34:38

touching the box... Yeah.

0:34:380:34:42

You can have a wisp of hair, whatever, then that is it.

0:34:420:34:45

I'm getting the impression that the ?130 penalty is going to hurt.

0:34:450:34:49

Yeah, it is going to hurt. I am a single father, I mean, you know.

0:34:490:34:53

Yeah. I am just trying to get on by, you know,

0:34:530:34:55

I am trying to run two businesses...

0:34:550:34:57

Listen, I am sorry about the decision.

0:34:570:34:59

Good luck for the future. Thank you.

0:34:590:35:00

Thank you. Thank you very much. Cheers.

0:35:000:35:02

You know, I feel for Ora.

0:35:020:35:04

It wasn't a massive mistake, but the Highway Code is the Highway Code.

0:35:040:35:08

It is there for a reason.

0:35:080:35:10

It is estimated to cost about ?50 million a year

0:35:100:35:13

clearing up fly-tipping.

0:35:130:35:15

That, give or take, is about ?1 million a week which could be spent

0:35:150:35:18

on something much more needy, like the NHS.

0:35:180:35:20

Fly-tipping is a personal bugbear of mine.

0:35:200:35:22

I think it is an absolute disgrace.

0:35:220:35:24

We all accumulate stuff, we all accumulate an awful lot of rubbish,

0:35:240:35:28

but we don't all bang it in the back of the car and then throw it,

0:35:280:35:30

you know, possibly in a beauty spot in the forest or the common,

0:35:300:35:33

whatever it might be.

0:35:330:35:34

I don't agree with that at all.

0:35:340:35:35

I don't like fly-tippers. Even though it is hard,

0:35:350:35:39

say if you are doing a big clear-out or whatever, it is hard,

0:35:390:35:42

because some people have those big huge bins where you can just go and

0:35:420:35:45

throw your rubbish, some don't.

0:35:450:35:46

So it is difficult, but leaving your stuff at the end of the road,

0:35:460:35:49

that is not cool. I don't think that is cool.

0:35:490:35:51

I don't agree with that at all.

0:35:510:35:53

Those people, they do it and they run away.

0:35:530:35:55

I asked the council... I asked the council to put cameras there

0:35:550:35:58

to detect those people and give them heavy fines.

0:35:580:36:02

You see? It is going on, it is very bad.

0:36:020:36:05

People who fly-tip are absolutely the pits.

0:36:050:36:10

This is the London Borough of Havering.

0:36:100:36:13

It may be on the edge of the biggest city in Europe,

0:36:130:36:15

but that doesn't mean it doesn't have its very own little pockets of

0:36:150:36:19

rural peace and beauty.

0:36:190:36:20

Or at least it should,

0:36:200:36:22

until some doughnut decided it was a good idea to dump this...

0:36:220:36:27

..this...

0:36:270:36:28

..and this.

0:36:280:36:30

Criminal. No, really, it is criminal.

0:36:300:36:32

Fly-tipping on an industrial scale can earn you an unlimited fine and

0:36:350:36:39

five years in prison.

0:36:390:36:41

It is a serious criminal offence.

0:36:410:36:43

You actually obtain a criminal record.

0:36:430:36:46

Fighting the fight for this little corner of England's green and

0:36:460:36:49

pleasant land, against the monster of criminal fly-tipping,

0:36:490:36:52

are waste enforcement officers Jim Ratcliffe

0:36:520:36:55

and his colleague Rod Wynn.

0:36:550:36:57

People who are operating the waste transfer sites

0:36:590:37:03

are disposing of the waste illegally,

0:37:030:37:06

and saving the money that they have to pay to dispose of it legally.

0:37:060:37:11

And it is not just the environmental cost that is at stake.

0:37:110:37:14

The burden for clearing these crime scenes up is borne

0:37:140:37:18

by the good people of Havering borough.

0:37:180:37:20

That is council taxpayers to you and me.

0:37:200:37:22

It is costing us about ?50,000 a month to...

0:37:220:37:25

In costs, to dispose and remove

0:37:270:37:29

the fly-tipping that is taking place.

0:37:290:37:31

Jim and Rod are on a call out to one of the fly-tipping hot spots on their patch.

0:37:320:37:37

This might look like a dead end,

0:37:380:37:40

but ironically, it is actually an access road to the local tip.

0:37:400:37:44

Well, it was until someone dumped this lot.

0:37:440:37:47

And the scale is apparent, even from a couple of hundred metres away.

0:37:470:37:50

That is a major fly-tip.

0:37:510:37:54

Possibly an eight-wheeler load,

0:37:540:37:55

that has come out of a waste transfer site.

0:37:550:37:58

Or a building site.

0:37:580:37:59

That is the kind of stuff that would cost you ?149 a tonne to dispose of.

0:37:590:38:04

I would say there is about ten tonnes there.

0:38:050:38:09

So they have saved themselves the best part of ?1,500.

0:38:090:38:12

But this isn't the first time this secluded site has turned into a crime scene.

0:38:120:38:16

This here is the aftermath of a fly-tip which took place a couple

0:38:160:38:20

of weeks ago that was subsequently burnt down

0:38:200:38:22

before we could remove it, and as you can see,

0:38:220:38:24

it has burnt all the vegetation around it as well.

0:38:240:38:27

So it has actually caused damage to the environment as well as the costs

0:38:270:38:31

of removing the fly-tip.

0:38:310:38:33

Lovely peaceful place.

0:38:330:38:34

And they ruin it.

0:38:340:38:35

To make matters worse, Jim and Rod are seeing copycat crime,

0:38:350:38:40

domestic waste in bin bags dumped on top of the industrial waste.

0:38:400:38:44

What we'll do now is pass it over to Cleansing. They'll come straight down and clear it.

0:38:440:38:48

You know what makes matters worse?

0:38:480:38:50

The council tip,

0:38:500:38:51

where these lazy bin bag bandits could have got rid of their household rubbish

0:38:510:38:55

safely and for free, is less than half a mile away.

0:38:550:39:00

This is the real hot spot at the moment.

0:39:000:39:02

But further down the road,

0:39:020:39:03

it is easy to see why they might not have been able to get to the council's tip.

0:39:030:39:08

Yeah, so you would have difficulty getting any vehicle through there at the moment.

0:39:080:39:12

Only the smallest vehicle, as you can see.

0:39:120:39:14

It is a through route,

0:39:140:39:15

and it actually leads to the London Borough of Havering waste and recycling centre,

0:39:150:39:19

where residents can take their waste legally and dispose of it.

0:39:190:39:23

Still, the excuse of a blocked road will not stop you getting a fine

0:39:230:39:26

for dumping your bin bags if you are caught.

0:39:260:39:28

It is a mess, isn't it?

0:39:280:39:29

But it is the industrial waste that is a serious

0:39:290:39:32

criminal offence and could spell jail time.

0:39:320:39:35

This is the criminal stuff here.

0:39:350:39:38

As soon as you get it clear, they are coming back and fly-tipping.

0:39:380:39:41

The main issue with this type of waste is, as you can probably see,

0:39:410:39:43

it is really construction waste.

0:39:430:39:46

It has probably come out of a construction site.

0:39:460:39:49

It is brick, so the potential to find any evidence in there is extremely limited.

0:39:490:39:54

But we will have a look,

0:39:540:39:56

and if we can find something then we will follow up on it.

0:39:560:39:59

In the meantime, this sorry pile has got to be cleared.

0:40:000:40:04

We'll have to get a grab lorry down here to get this removed,

0:40:040:40:07

so it'll probably take us a day to dispose of this one.

0:40:070:40:10

And a day to dispose of the other one.

0:40:100:40:12

You're talking ?3,000 to ?4,000 just for the landfill costs.

0:40:120:40:17

I am a ratepayer of Havering, I have to end up paying for this as well.

0:40:170:40:21

It is very sad, but,

0:40:210:40:24

you know, somebody has to pay.

0:40:240:40:27

What we would like to do is get the people who are doing it to pay,

0:40:270:40:30

but... We will get them.

0:40:300:40:31

We will get there.

0:40:310:40:33

This clearly is not an isolated problem.

0:40:330:40:35

This used to be a regular spot for fly-tipping.

0:40:350:40:38

You can see the measures they have taken here.

0:40:380:40:41

Elsewhere on their patch,

0:40:410:40:42

Jim and Rod have found another pile of builders' waste.

0:40:420:40:46

I don't know how long it has been there. As you can see

0:40:460:40:48

it has been investigated, because there is tape,

0:40:480:40:50

but it is a fridge freezer, so there won't be any evidence as to who has dumped it there.

0:40:500:40:55

And it has not gone unnoticed by the locals.

0:40:550:40:58

You can't blame them, really.

0:40:580:41:00

Hi, there. Yes.

0:41:000:41:01

Yeah, we have cleared it up recently, but we can't stop them.

0:41:020:41:05

They are dumping it quicker than we can clear it at the moment.

0:41:050:41:08

INDISTINCT

0:41:080:41:11

Let us know.

0:41:110:41:12

MAN: Local resident?

0:41:120:41:15

He said if he sees them he will grass them up.

0:41:150:41:17

Good for you, mate. More citizens take note.

0:41:180:41:22

Right, on to the next pile.

0:41:220:41:24

Will it ever stop?

0:41:240:41:25

Yeah, it's a new one.

0:41:250:41:27

The search continues.

0:41:280:41:29

This... Plasterboard.

0:41:310:41:33

But this time it is a bagged up load of old plasterboard.

0:41:330:41:37

I can't believe they will find any evidence in that lot.

0:41:370:41:40

We've got a receipt here. Yeah, it's got the address on it.

0:41:400:41:43

It is quite local.

0:41:430:41:46

Hang on, wait a minute.

0:41:460:41:47

So, let's take a look at the evidence.

0:41:470:41:49

Bagged up loads of builders' waste, dumped by the road.

0:41:500:41:55

Containing a written address.

0:41:550:41:58

So what we'll do, we will call them in for a police interview.

0:41:580:42:01

Investigations are ongoing, but if Jim and Rod do trace the address,

0:42:010:42:06

they will call the suspect in for an interview under caution.

0:42:060:42:09

At that interview, we will ask them and put it to them how waste from

0:42:090:42:12

their address has ended up in a lane in the London Borough of Havering.

0:42:120:42:17

And obviously it is for them to explain how that might have happened.

0:42:170:42:20

And we'll see what the outcome of that is.

0:42:200:42:23

If it goes to court,

0:42:230:42:25

this dodgy dumper could be looking at some serious jail time.

0:42:250:42:29

Whatever happens, we have to clear it up.

0:42:300:42:32

If we find evidence, great, we can follow those enquiries, we clear it up.

0:42:320:42:37

If there is no evidence, we still clear it up.

0:42:370:42:40

So whatever happens, we have the costs of clearing it up.

0:42:400:42:43

Sadly, I have got a feeling that Jim and Rod's work isn't going to be over any time soon.

0:42:430:42:49

Enforcement officers really do have their work cut out,

0:42:510:42:54

but someone has got to do it, or there would be anarchy.

0:42:540:42:58

Join us again for more Dom On The Spot.

0:42:580:43:00

Happy New Year!

0:43:350:43:36

TV: She'll be safe and snug.

0:43:370:43:39

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