THE Government is planning a massive crackdown on litterbugs, graffiti louts and fly-tippers as part of a new offensive against anti-social behaviour.

But will tough legislation work in Bolton? Dean Kirby investigates

ABANDONED chip papers clog gutters, beer bottles lie smashed on the pavements and pigeons peck at discarded gravy trays -- rubbish left behind in Bolton town centre after a typical Friday night.

The hard-working street cleaners from Bolton Council will be along to clear up the mess before many of the revellers rise from their beds on Saturday morning.

But their job has to be repeated every weekend -- and every day in between -- because the culture of carelessness popularised by the town's young people never goes out of fashion.

The government has now unveiled a rubbish-busting clean-up charter in an attempt to rid the towns of litter louts. It contains nearly 30 measures aimed at improving public spaces.

They include giving councils the power to: ban the sale of spray paints and market pens to under-18s to curb graffiti; stop shops selling chewing-gum near schools and town centres; remove "nuisance" car and burglar alarms; prohibit people from handing out leaflets in designated areas; and force homeowners to tidy up eyesore front gardens.

However it seems the Government is already back-tracking on one of its most far-reaching proposals: giving council staff greater powers to impose on-the-spot fines for anti-social behaviour.

The Government was considering letting bin men and council cleaners hand out £50 fines to people caught dropping litter and gum in the streets.

But the Prime Minister's office now says that this part of the crackdown might prove unworkable.

Bolton resident Yogesh Raja agrees. He believes on-the-spot fines will not act as a deterrent.

He said: "People will still drop litter and chewing gum, even if they know there could be more chance of them being fined.

"We need to change their perceptions, to make them realise that they are spreading illness and disease."

He believes that putting signs next to bins to warn people about the dangers of spreading germs will work instead.

Other residents meanwhile believe that anything is worth a try, even on-the-spot fines. But prosecuting the litterbugs has never been an easy task.

Each year councils across Britain receive 80,000 complaints about rubbish being dumped in the streets. But only 1,000 people finish up being fined.

Police officers can haul litter louts off to the courts and local councils can bring prosecutions under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Both systems are hardly used, according to Peter Gibson from the Keep Britain Tidy campaign.

He said: "One of the main problems is that the money generated from existing fines always goes to the Government.

"It would be better if local councils were given the money. This would encourage them to send people onto the streets to look for litter louts. There is no incentive for them to do this at the moment."

A survey by Bolton Council in February this year revealed that standards of cleanliness are higher in April and May and lowest in December and July.

This is likely to be because more litter is dropped in the school holidays and at Christmas.

Apple cores and cigarette butts were high on the list of those items dropped and sweeping them up is costly, adding to the annual £413 million that the public pays to keep Britain clean.

Survey respondents admitted littering when no-one was watching but said they would stop if more people were prosecuted.

More responsible citizens believe that changing people's attitudes before they drop rubbish is the only way forward.

David Butcher from Bolton's Friends of Moss Bank Park, who organises regular litter-picking operations, said: "It would be better to persuade people not to drop litter than to try to fine them after they have done it."

Staff running the council's anti-litter campaign, the People and Places Project, agree.

They believe the best way to tidy the streets is to change people's attitudes and behaviour.

They are trying to do this by supporting community clean-up operations, encouraging businesses to recycle and by teaching children about the importance of being tidy.

Co-ordinator Carolyn Thompson said: "We're always trying to encourage people, especially the young, to play their own part in protecting the environment."

One group of youngsters has already taken up the message and has just scooped a national award because they pick-up litter so often.

The Wacky Cleaners, who organise regular clean-up operations in east Bolton, are now trying to encourage other youngsters to get involved.

"These children should be an example to everyone," said one of their co-ordinators Dawn Edwards. "They work hard and they care for their environment. All we need is for other people to follow their lead."