Cleanzine: your weekly cleaning and hygiene industry newsletter 18th April 2024 Issue no. 1110
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Drivers reminded: Bag it, Bin it! - and keep roads tidy as Olympic Torch comes to town
As the Olympic Torch relay gets underway around the UK this weekend, the Highways Agency is calling on road users to help tackle roadside litter and ensure that England's motorways and major roads provide safe and pleasant journeys during the summer of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Highways Agency will continue to clear up roadside litter in the run up to the Olympics and start of the torch relay and is asking road users and local residents to take pride in where they live and to dispose of their litter responsibly. Clearing litter from busy roads such as motorways puts workers at risk and costs money and time that could be far better spent.
Roads Minister Mike Penning said:
"As the torch relay travels across our road network, it will showcase the best of our towns and countryside. Nobody wants that to be spoilt by litter.
"That's why in the build up to the Olympic and Paralympic Games I'm reminding everyone to follow the simple 'Bag it, Bin it!' message. If all drivers keep a bag in their vehicle to store rubbish and then dispose of it safely, it will be a real step forward in reducing roadside litter.
"It's a disgrace that we spend nearly £10 million a year clearing litter from the side of England's motorways, just because a lazy and thoughtless minority can't be bothered to dispose of it properly. It's time for us all to step up to the mark and start taking responsibility for our litter."
The Agency estimates it removes nearly a quarter of a million sacks of litter from England's motorways every year, and is running a roadside message campaign during the Olympic Torch Relay, reminding drivers to dispose of their litter responsibly.
Roadside litter is not only unsightly, but is also a threat to the environment and wildlife and can block drains and cause flooding. For highway authorities, clearing litter diverts much-needed resources away from road maintenance and repairs, while items thrown from moving vehicles can be a hazard to other road users.
17th May 2012