A MAN has been fined for throwing rubbish out of his vehicle in Chelmsford.

Chris Parker, of Pendle Drive, Basildon, who did not turn up at court, was found guilty in his absence of discarding food waste from a vehicle at Riverside Retail Park.

He was fined £100 for littering by Chelmsford magistrates last week, and ordered to pay £75 costs to Chelmsford Council and a £15 victim surcharge.

Council chiefs have been concerned about litter being dropped in the area and a problem with rats has been ongoing for some years.

While professional pest control services are employed, treatments are hindered by the constant supply of food on the street.

Litter from the car park blows into the adjacent riverside footpath, known as Bunny Walk, which is a particularly hard area to litter pick because of dense trees and foliage.

The council’s cabinet member for safer communities, Ian Grundy, said: “Litter enforcement patrols are instrumental in getting the message about town that littering, in any shape or form, will not be tolerated in Chelmsford.

“The council has teamed up with Keep Britain Tidy to support its latest litter campaign, and is calling for people to get behind the council to keep litter off the streets.”

The council is also increasing its evening enforcement patrols to ensure the night time economy is not getting away with littering.