Richmond (Parliament Politics Magazine) – A £150 fine issued to a woman for pouring coffee dregs down a road drain has been cancelled by Richmond Council, sparking debate.
Kew resident Burcu Yesilyurt called the fine “quite unfair” and “extreme,” arguing that she was being “responsible” by throwing away the coffee dregs instead than spilling on a bus.
On October 10, she was stopped by law enforcement in west London and given a fine in accordance with Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Ms. Yesilyurt had the option to challenge the fine, but Richmond Council announced on Wednesday that “on this occasion, the council has decided to cancel the FPN (fixed penalty notice)”.
After reviewing bodyworn video of the event, Richmond Council stated that its officers were “in no way aggressive” and that “it is clear that a violation took place which justified the fixed penalty notice (FPN) being issued.”
Ms Yesilyurt told the BBC:
“I noticed my bus was approaching, so I just poured the leftover bit. It wasn’t much, it was just a tiny little bit.
As soon as I turned around, I noticed three men, enforcement officers, chasing me, and they stopped me immediately.”
She said she had been trying to avoid littering and added:
“It feels quite unfair. I think the fine is extreme. It’s not proportionate.”
The spokesman added:
“FPNs clearly outline that there is an appeal process available to anyone who wishes to challenge them.
It is likely that, had this case progressed through that route, the notice would have been rescinded. On this occasion, the council has therefore decided to cancel the FPN.
We remain committed to protecting Richmond’s waterways and keeping our borough’s streets clean and safe. We are also reviewing our advice on the disposal of liquids in a public place and will be updating this information on our website.”
Have there been similar fines or cancellations in Richmond recently?
There have been no other extensively reported cases of cancellations in Richmond lately. The £150 fine issued to Burcu Yesilyurt for pouring coffee down a road drain is the most notable recent incident involving a fixed penalty notice cancellation by Richmond Council.
The council stressed that appeal processes live for anyone wishing to dispute forfeitures and that in this case, they chose to cancel the fine after reviewing the situation. They’re also revising public guidance on disposing liquids in public spaces to reduce confusion.
Residents on social media expressed mixed responses, with some chancing the fine inordinate and others frustrated by enforcement practices, but no other specific cases matching this incident have been proved lately.
