'On the spot' fines can now be issued to waste carriers who fail to produce a licence for transporting waste.

St Albans District Council says it can also give out immediate fixed penalty notices for abandoned vehicles after extended powers to tackle flytipping were agreed.

Fines were brought in four years ago to hand out to people involved in dumping rubbish illegally - in particular this is to combat people who collect waste from unsuspecting households before dumping it somewhere, usually in the countryside.

The penalty notices of up to £300 can now be issued for an extended range of flytipping offences across St Albans district.

The council says it prefers to issue fines because a court proceeding can be lengthy and costly.

But prosecutions will continue be undertaken if the flytip is particularly large, or if the suspect is a persistent offender.

The council also says three mobile smart cameras, costing £10,000 each, have been purchased, which can be deployed at hotspots to catch flytippers in the act or deter them.

The decision to extend the range of offences was taken by an online meeting of St Albans City and District Council’s Cabinet on Thursday.

Councillor Chris White, the Council’s leader and portfolio holder for climate and environment, said after the meeting: "Flytipping is an anti-social crime that spoils the landscape, angers residents and costs the council significant sums to clear up.

"The robust actions we are taking show we’re determined to clamp down on it. Fixed Penalty Notices will now cover more offences, allowing our officers to deal with offenders quickly and efficiently."