Ayr MSP Siobhian Brown has welcomed new measures from the Scottish Government to prevent litter and fly-tipping in the town.

The new measures, which include more than doubling fines for fly-tipping to £500, have been brought in under a six-year National Litter and Fly-tipping Strategy.

It sets out how national and local government, business, third sector, communities and individuals can work together to drive behaviour change, improve infrastructure, and strengthen enforcement.

Other key measures include the introduction of new powers to impose a fine on the registered keeper of a vehicle from which a littering offence is committed and a new national online litter hub to provide information, advice and support to community groups and other relevant local organisations on tackling litter and littering behaviour.

The SNP MP said: "The SNP Government is working hard to support Scotland's transition to a zero waste and circular economy by tidying up Scotland’s streets and neighbourhoods.

"These strict new measures will help to keep communities in South Ayrshire clean and safe.

“South Ayrshire is a wonderful place to live, with a community to take pride in, but our neighbourhoods are so often besmirched by the selfish actions of a few, through reckless fly-tipping and littering, which affects everyone who lives here.

“More than doubling the fines for fly-tipping to £500 will help incentivise litter bugs to think hard before they dump rubbish onto our streets.”