Highways Agency campaign against roadside litter

The Highways Agency today launches its summer ‘Bag it Bin it’ campaign, with the support of the AA, the RAC Foundation and the Institute of Advanced Motorists, reminding road users about the problems that litter can cause on motorways and major A roads.

For the Highways Agency, litter is not only unsightly but also a threat to the environment – a recent study by the AA showed that 88% of their members feel angry about people who cause roadside litter. The Highways Agency’s Road Users’ Satisfaction Surveys reflected this response when people were asked to rate the importance of keeping roads free of litter.

Clearing rubbish also puts workers at risk of injury and diverts resources away from road maintenance and repairs. The Highways Agency estimates that approximately 700,000 bags of litter are removed from our road network in England every year.

As part of ‘Bag it and Bin it’, drivers are being encouraged to carry a litter bag in their vehicle to collect their rubbish until it can be safely disposed of. To get the message across, the Highways Agency is distributing biodegradable and recyclable paper litter bags from its exhibition stand at events this summer.

Derek Turner, Highways Agency's Director of Network Operations, said: "Clearing litter puts our road workers at risk from injury and diverts resources away from road maintenance and repairs. Items thrown from vehicles can a hazard to other road users.

“Litter is unsightly, is bad for the environment and can block drains and lead to localised flooding. We want to remind drivers to keep a bag for rubbish in their vehicle, and use it to store their litter until it can be thrown away safely in a bin, either when they break their journey or get to their destination.”

AA President Edmund King said: “The latest data from our AA / Populus panel* shows that roadside littering makes our 15 million members angry but most are adamant they are not the cause of litter themselves - with only 8% admitting ‘litter guilt’. Whoever is to blame there is no excuse for being a roadside litter lout whose actions can result in causing a danger to other road users and also those who have to clear up after them.”

Philip Gomm of the RAC Foundation, said: "This summer many motorists are having a staycation and holidaying in the UK, often travelling to the nation's wealth of beauty spots. They don't want to see the highways and byways buried under a pile of rubbish. The vast majority of drivers behave responsibly yet some remain intent on defacing our landscape. At a time when much attention is being focussed on making the car industry greener, the minority perhaps need reminding of the part they can play in maintaining this green and pleasant land."

Peter Rodger, Chief Examiner at the Institute of Advanced Motorists, added: “Litter in the car is potentially dangerous. If an empty drinks can rolls into the driver’s footwell on a long motorway journey, the driver may not realise until it’s time to use the brake, only to find it difficult because the rubbish has found its way under the brake pedal.

“It’s also worth remembering that throwing litter out the window is not only anti social, it’s illegal, and could lead to an inconsiderate motorist getting a fine. A tidy and clean car reduces stress for all the passengers, and so reduces the potential for in-car distractions. On a long journey, taking a break every two hours is sensible, and you can at the same time ditch the rubbish as you bag it and bin it.”