ISLAND litter bugs should be on their guard.

New rules to fine vehicle owners for dropping litter out of cars outside of London have been proposed by the government.

Ministers have also almost doubled the fine from £80 to £150 for littering, as part of the new measures.

Councils will be able to impose a civil penalty for the offence.

The proposals have been welcomed by the Island's MP, Bob Seely.

He said: “I attended a committee on these draft regulations recently in parliament and I support them.

“As I said during the debate, I recognise that allowing councils to go after the registered keeper of the offending vehicle will be difficult to enforce. However, these regulations are also about social pressure, not necessarily about enforcement through the law, but a sense of social enforcement; chucking litter out of cars should be seen to be wrong.

“It will not change everyone’s behaviour, but this law simply being enacted should change some people’s behaviour, which would have a positive result and do something to tackle the £800 million a year bill we have to clean up our streets and countryside nationwide.”

The regulations will make it easier for councils to take enforcement action by removing the need to identify the litterer and holding the “keeper” of the vehicle responsible.

They are due to come into force from April 1 this year, if both houses of Parliament agree.