Councillors back leaflet zones to beat litter (From thisisoxfordshire)

Councillors back leaflet zones to beat litter

8:39am Tuesday 29th August 2006

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People shoving unwanted flyers and leaflets into the hands of shoppers and clubbers in the city centre could soon be fined up to £2,500.

Oxford City Council wants to introduce designated leafleting zones in more than 20 city streets, so that advertisers must have permission from the authority before handing out leaflets.

The streets which could be covered include George Street, Queen Street, Gloucester Green, Cornmarket Street, High Street and St Giles.

The move comes after a string of complaints from shoppers about being bombarded with leaflets, which are often end up being dropped on the pavement.

City centre manager Bill McCardle said: "This idea is a continuation of what we have been trying to do for a number of years. It's all about cleaning up the city and allowing people to go about their normal business without being hassled."

The council's central, south and west committee backed the idea earlier this month and it is now up to full council to decide whether to introduce the zones.

Committee member Bob Price said the designated street powers were incorporated in a bylaw which was passed two years ago, to regulate various aspects of city centre management.

He said: "It's part of the drive to make the city centre cleaner. The basic problem has been the way in which companies, particularly mobile phone companies and insurance firms, hand out flyers.

"People drop them on the ground and it gets into a great mess."

Mr Price said if the designated leaflet zones were introduced, it would make a big difference in the city centre.

He added: "I think it's a good idea, as it means we can control the currently uncontrolled commercial use of community space for handing out leaflets, which is a big annoyance and very bad for litter."

If the idea is approved, council officers and police could enforce new rules as early as November.

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