More than six tonnes of rubbish was collected during night-time closures along the A38 in Staffordshire while essential maintenance has been taking place.
A total of 1,313 bags of litter and rubbish were collected over the summer as well as large items such as bed mattresses, vehicle parts and a barbecue along the busy route between Fradley and Barton under Needwood.
The latest litter pick took place over 10 nights in August on the northbound carriageway. As well as picking up 307 bags of litter, workers from East Staffordshire Borough Council swept the footpaths clear of some 60 tonnes of soil and debris.
National Highways is carrying out essential maintenance work on the A38 including carriageway resurfacing, replacing sections of central reservation, road markings and upgrading street lighting.
While the road is closed overnight for the work to be carried out, teams from the local authorities have been invited to carry out litter picks in safety. Carrying out the work at the same time avoids the need for another road closure in the future.
The huge haul comes ahead of World Cleanup Day tomorrow (16 September) which promotes collective action and positive partnerships to bring about change and restore a waste-free world.
National Highways Programme Development Manager, Ian Doust, said:
“It is infuriating to see how much litter has been tossed onto the roadside along the A38. Roadside rubbish isn’t just unsightly, it is a danger to the environment, wildlife and drivers using our roads. It’s also a hazard for the people who have to pick up litter from the roadside because of the few individuals who feel it is ok to make others clean up after them.
“Roads have to be closed so the rubbish can safely be removed and while we work closely with local authorities to carry out litter picks when closures are already planned, such as on the A38 scheme, it is still a costly and time-consuming task.
“That money could be spent elsewhere by ourselves and the councils if people were more considerate and took their litter home.”
Cllr Dennis Fletcher, East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said:
“I am very pleased to see the Council working so closely with National Highways to carry out such vital work along the A38. This is a major route through the borough and has significant importance to the local economy.
“I would urge drivers to keep hold of their waste until they can dispose of it correctly as to avoid any future build-up of litter along the road. The Council has a zero-tolerance approach to offenders
Both East Staffordshire and Lichfield councils have carried out litter picks while the maintenance scheme, being delivered by contractor Carnell, has been taking place on the A38.
For more information about the ongoing works visit the A38 Fradley to Barton scheme webpage at:
National Highways has launched a new social media campaign to look at the true impact of litter, what the penalties are for dropping it and to shed some light on what we are doing to reduce the amount of rubbish on motorways and major A roads. Look out for #LetsTalkAboutLitter at National Highways Facebook and @NationalHways on X (formerly Twitter).
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