A CCTV camera installed to stop littering on Leeds Road has “paid for itself” after three months – leading to over £16,000 worth of fines being issued.

In that short period, the single camera caught 191 litter louts, many of whom were captured on camera tossing their waste out of cars.

Bradford Council says the camera is an attempt to “change behaviour” in the area – and that it is working with other take-aways to further improve the busy street.

The CCTV camera is one of many that has recently been installed across the district to catch fly-tippers and litter droppers in the act.

This one is located opposite Mahmoods take-away on Leeds Road. The Council says Mahmoods is a “responsible business” that carries out regular litter picks, but that the surrounding area is blighted by litter dropped by careless visitors to the street’s many food businesses.

The Council is working with other businesses on projects that will see take away staff carry out daily litter picks.

Details of what is being done to deal with littering on Leeds Road are included in the latest report on the work by the Council’s wardens and Environmental Officers - in the Bradford East constituency.

The report will go before Bradford Council’s Bradford East Area Committee on Wednesday.

It reveals that in the past 12 months the service received 572 requests from the Bradford Moor ward, which includes Leeds Road, to deal with issues ranging from littering and fly-tipping to pest control.

With Leeds Road being home to dozens of take-aways, cafes and restaurants, many of which open late into the night, it has a big problem with litter.

The report says: “The team is currently working with Street Cleansing to identify hotspots where litter is being dropped from vehicles.

“Earlier this year a CCTV camera was deployed at a location at Leeds Road, opposite a fast food takeaway.

“Over the last three months 191 litter fines have been issued from that location.

“The camera has proved to be successful and has in fact paid for itself by generating over £5,469 in fines to date, with £10,876 in fines outstanding.”

When asked for more detail on this camera, a Bradford Council spokesperson said: “A CCTV camera is operating on Leeds Road, near Mahmoods takeaway.

“There are clear signs warning the public that this camera is in use, but despite this, people are still dropping litter out of their vehicles.

“We have these cameras in place for the same reason we have bus lane cameras – to change behaviour.

“Mahmoods itself is a responsible business and its employees carry out regular litter picks outside the premises.

“We are looking to work with other fast-food outlets to reduce litter.”

The report details some of this work, which includes a pilot take away project that has seen the Council work with another Leeds Road take-away.

Mother Hubbards signed up to the Take Away pilot, which sees staff carry out litter picks, in May. The report says: “To reduce litter outside the premises it was agreed that a member of staff will carry out a litter patrol three times a day at 11.15am, 5.30pm and 9pm.

“This was monitored over a 10 week period by a warden and as part of this he noticed a reduction in waste around the premises.”

Due to the success of the pilot, the scheme is likely to be rolled out to other busy Leeds Road take aways.

Members of the area committee will be told that across the district, the Council’s CCTV system has led to 350 “litter from vehicle” fines being issued and 100 fly-tipping Fixed Penalty Notices being issued.

A number of court cases against the most serious offenders, or those who refuse to pay their fines, are pending.

The report says other efforts to tackle fly-tipping will involve better publicity on how to report offences, and how many people have been fined.

This will be done partly through social media campaigns.

The use of CCTV at “litter hotspots” is also likely to be rolled out further.

And take-aways could soon be required to sign a “code of practice” that would require them to clean up any litter generated by their customers.