City of York Council is launching a city-wide campaign to crack down on cigarette litter this month, in a bid to reduce the numbers of unsightly cigarette butts littering the streets.

The authority is teaming up with ENCAMS - formerly the Keep Britain Tidy group - to run a two week campaign to remind smokers of their responsibility. The authority was chosen by ENCAMS as one of ten local authoirties across the country to run the initiative as part of a national campaign.

Jackie Armitage, the council's enforcement and environment manager, said: "Cigarette butts are one of the top forms of litter on York's streets and we spend £2m annually on street cleansing.

"Having studied the impact of the smoking bans in Scotland and Ireland, we know that one of the knock on effects is an increase in cigarette related litter in the streets. Unfortunately not everyone realises that cigrarettes are litter, and that they can get a £75 fine if they're caught dropping a butt."

The two-week long campaign aims to encourge smokers to think before their drop their cigarette litter, using portable ashtrays to dispose of their butts, rather than dropping them on the ground.

Jackie explained: "Portable ashtrays are a dicreet, hygienic way of diposing of used cigarettes, when there's no bin around. The ashtrays will be available free of charge at the council's receptions thoroughout the next two weeks. Smokers can also pop along to the council-run stall in Parliament Street over the next two weeks, to pick up their free pouch."

The council's Street Environment officers will be visiting business throughout the campagn to ask them to remind their staff on their responsibilities, as well as trying to encourage more retailers to stock the protable ashtrays. It's hoped that the succes sof the campaign will be increased working in partnership with other buinesses and organisations.

More infromation is available at www.encams.gov.uk or on www.york.gov.uk