Crackdown on highway verge damage

North Lincolnshire Council’s Highways Officers can issue new Community Protection Notices (CPN) to anyone who damages highway verges across the area.

This new legislation allows the council to issue warnings and official notices to those whose behaviour or actions are having a detrimental effect on the neighbourhood.

The new legislation will also apply to businesses or organisations who fail to meet their responsibilities.

Councillor Richard Hannigan, cabinet member for Safer, Greener and Cleaner Places welcomed the move.

He said: “We receive a number of complaints from residents about highway verge damage, so we have decided it is time to address the problem. The new powers will mean quicker and more effective crack down on offenders.

“Damaging highway verges makes our neighbourhoods and streets look untidy. We want our area to look attractive for our residents and visitors.

“Carrying out the repairs to damaged verges is an avoidable cost and a cost that falls on the taxpayer. This is money could be better spent on other services.

“With these new powers we hope to prevent people from damaging verges in the first place. But for those who offend it will ensure they are held to account for their actions.”

CPNs will be issued for unreasonable and persistent acts of anti-social behaviour.

Officers will determine if an offender should be given an £80 fixed penalty notice or be taken to court so that they can be made to repair the damage caused.

A CPN is aimed to prevent unreasonable behaviour that is having a negative impact on the local community’s quality of life.

Any person aged 16 years or over can be issued with a notice, whether it is an individual or a business, and it will require the behaviour to stop and if necessary reasonable steps to be taken to ensure it is not repeated in the future.

CPNs replace current measures including defacement removal and street litter control notices.