A spitting penalty fine of £80 is being imposed on Hillingdon streets.

However an offender has yet to be caught since the council crackdown began in February.

Hillingdon Council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Investigations Team are out in Botwell, Townfield and Yeading to catch people spitting this month.

Hillingdon Council spokesperson Charlotte Stamper said: “The response has been good.

“Officers remarked more people seemed to use bins to dispose of litter.”

An £80 penalty fine will be sent to the offender’s address and under-16s will be charged the same fine.

The campaign follows the Hayes Town Centre Community Safety Survey Dec 2010 asking 114 people to rate anti-social behaviour issues in Hillingdon.

Between 70-80% of people rated spitting as a big problem above drug-dealing and begging.

David Brough, Chairman of Hayes Town Partnership, said: “Concern about other issues have reduced as a result of action taken by the Council, police and the Hayes Town Partnership but spitting has hardly changed year on year.

“The vast majority of people want to stamp out this disgusting and disrespectful habit."

Hillingdon Council says all forms of spitting, including chewable paan and khat are unhygienic and cleaning up the streets is costly.

Mr Brough said: “We are against spitting by anybody whether they are Hayes residents or multi-millionaire footballers and golfers.”

Posters are in shop windows around Hayes Town.

Mr Brough said: “There has already been an improvement but I am under no illusions about the challenge we face in changing the habits of a selfish minority.”

Paul and Linda Killick on Yiewsley High Street support the crackdown.

“It’s disgusting,” Mrs Killick said. “The £80 fine is a brilliant idea.”

Mr Killick said: “I’d love to see them caught. But how are they going to enforce that? It’s like smoking in certain places – you’re not meant to but people still do it.”

However Dan Fields, 25, from West Drayton, was sceptical.

“I don’t see why it’s so bad, the streets are for the public aren’t they? Who is it harming?” he said.

Speak to your Safer Neighbourhood team or Anti-Social Behaviour Investigations Team to report incidents or repeat offenders.