Smokers caught throwing cigarette butts in the streets of Victoria could be fined up to £2,500.

Westminster Council has launched a crackdown around the train station that means smokers caught littering now face an £80 fixed penalty notice which can be reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days. Offenders could face a maximum court fine of £2,500 is the initial fine is unpaid.

Cabinet member for environment and transport Cllr Danny Chalkley, said: "We know clean streets are a top priority for residents, businesses and visitors so we will not stand by and see them blighted by a sea of cigarette ends."

Westminster Council said Victoria was choosen for the first crackdown because the surrounding area is amongst the worst affected areas in the city for smoking litter.  A team of five inspectors and five police officers will monitor the streets of Westminster on a monthly two-day basis.

Cllr Chalkley added: "We have sent officers to the station area on ten different occasions to warn people that dropping litter is illegal and we have more bins than ever before, so there's really no excuse now for dropping cigarettes or any kind of litter in the streets."

Last year's smoking ban lead to a rise in smoking litter on streets across the country. In London alone the equivalent of 6,750 million cigarette butts are dropped on streets every year.