WEST WORCESTERSHIRE MP Dame Harriett Baldwin joined volunteers on a litter picking session to highlight the blight of littering across the rural road network.
The MP joined a regular litter picking group in Eastham to collect rubbish thrown from vehicles as people drive through the precious rural countryside.
And Dame Harriett encouraged other local community groups to band together to help keep the countryside clean, but she also urged drivers to take their rubbish home.
Dame Harriett said: “I’m really grateful for all the community groups who take the time to clear up their local areas and fight the scourge of littering.
“It saddens me that so many people think it is acceptable to throw their rubbish from vehicles, which can be bottles of alcohol, fast food wrappers, coffee cups and other non-biodegradable junk.
“Malvern Hills District Council supports group like the people from Eastham with equipment and collecting bags and I’ve joined a number of groups over the last year to help out and also to raise awareness of the issue.
“And last week, at the other end of West Worcestershire, I met with local councillors and National Highways to see first-hand the depressing amount of rubbish dumped at a roadside layby along the A46.
“My message to drivers is clear. Please take your rubbish home because it is damaging the environment and it means that volunteers have to go out in all conditions to clear up your mess after you.”
This call comes as new research commissioned by National Highways reveals that 65 per cent of drivers have admitted to discarding food and drink waste on the roadside.
Research commissioned by National Highways has revealed that 65% of drivers who admit to littering have discarded food and drink waste on the roadside.
While roadside litter is a nationwide issue, it is more prevalent among young drivers, with nearly one in three (31 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds.
Almost a quarter (24 per cent) of 25 to 34-year-olds admitting to discarding litter on the roadside in the past year. Meanwhile, 19 per cent of 35 to 44-year-olds confess to similar behaviour.
The research is released as National Highways prepares to support the Great British Spring Clean for the tenth consecutive year.
National Highways Head of Customer Journeys, Freda Rashdi, said:“Littering doesn’t just harm the environment, it also puts those who clean it up at risk. Plus, it can have devastating effects on wildlife and animals. By working together, we can help keep our roads and communities clean and safe.”
This year, National Highways teams have set a target of collecting at least 5,500 bags of litter from across the network. The team’s efforts contributed to the national total of over 425,000 bags collected during the 2024 campaign. The messaging aims to influence driver and passenger behaviour to dispose of litter responsibly.
