The problem of littering from cars is spiralling. Last year in north Hertfordshire 80 tonnes of litter were collected from just 18 miles of A-roads. In Dorset 2 tonnes of litter was collected from a 5-mile section of the A338 at a cost to local taxpayers of £10,000.
Some litter is undoubtably packing or other material which blows off commercial vehicles – but the vast majority is created by lazy, selfish people who toss cans, bags wrappers and so on out of cars as they drive along, usually after they’ve finished a snack.
More mysterious – but at least a bit easier to deal with – are those little collections of cans or bottles or similar, all collected together and then carefully left in in full plastic bags at the side of a lane.
But the real mystery is why the public and teachers and parents tolerate this anti-social behaviour. Common observation shows that this behaviour starts early – well before people start driving about in P reg Vectras! Social disapproval is the only sure way to reduce undesirable behaviour. But whenever do you see littering condemned in the popular press?
However, although laws and regulations are second-best, they do have some effect when they can be applied – and this has been shown in London. Regulations in force in the capital now mean that the owner of the vehicle can be fined if the driver or his/her passengers throws litter out onto the highway. With cameras, image processing and numberplate recognition, not only is the collection of evidence relatively easy but the denial of an offence is more difficult. The onus is then on the of the vehicle to ensure that it is not misused by those driving or riding in it to cause a public nuisance.
Picking up litter from roads or public spaces as often as it has to be done today is in an expensive and unnecessary cost. Local authorities outside London need the same powers as London has.
Why not write to your MP to ask that your local district or county council is given these powers to save money and improve the quality of citizens’ lives?