In a fantastic effort by the council’s Street Care and Safety team, over half a tonne of roadside litter was collected during a scheduled overnight road closure of the A12, on 24 April.
The full road closure by National Highways allowed the council to conduct a thorough, and more importantly safe litter pick, resulting in the removal of 680kg of waste – more than the weight of an original Mini Cooper!
The areas targeted on this occasion were on the southbound lanes between the exit slip road of junction 26 (Stanway) and the entry slip road of junction 25 (Marks Tey), as well as the entry slip road at junction 27 (Spring Lane roundabout). The six members of staff who attended the clean-up worked diligently for 10 hours, through the night, to achieve this result.
Cllr Martin Goss, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services and Waste, said: “What a difference the dedicated team have made to this section of the A12!
“National Highways is responsible for collecting litter on motorways and a small number of A-roads. However, under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990, a statutory duty was placed on local authorities to collect litter and carry out kerb line sweeping on many trunk roads in Essex. As a local authority, we receive no additional funding for this duty and therefore the team incorporate it into their work programmes as best they can.
“The ability to undertake litter picking along the route is dependent on several factors but primarily resources, the weather, and safe working areas. The latter is a significant factor, meaning the full road closure was essential.
“I would like to wholeheartedly thank the Street Care and Safety team for their fantastic work in keeping our city litter-free. I would also like to take the opportunity to remind residents to dispose of rubbish responsibly. If people insist on throwing their litter in the streets or from vehicles, then we will act.”
The council continues to work with other local authorities responsible for maintaining trunk roads in Essex, as well as Essex County Council and National Highways, to create a coordinated plan to access closed routes during National Highways maintenance and conduct clean-up operations.
Residents and visitors to Colchester are encouraged to report and request a clean-up of instances of littering, graffiti, fly-tipping and more via the council's website here. Doing this helps the council map out areas in need, ensuring as many areas as possible are kept clean and tidy and environmental integrity is maintained.
The full road closure by National Highways allowed the council to conduct a thorough, and more importantly safe litter pick, resulting in the removal of 680kg of waste – more than the weight of an original Mini Cooper!
The areas targeted on this occasion were on the southbound lanes between the exit slip road of junction 26 (Stanway) and the entry slip road of junction 25 (Marks Tey), as well as the entry slip road at junction 27 (Spring Lane roundabout). The six members of staff who attended the clean-up worked diligently for 10 hours, through the night, to achieve this result.
Cllr Martin Goss, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhood Services and Waste, said: “What a difference the dedicated team have made to this section of the A12!
“National Highways is responsible for collecting litter on motorways and a small number of A-roads. However, under the Environmental Protection Act (EPA) 1990, a statutory duty was placed on local authorities to collect litter and carry out kerb line sweeping on many trunk roads in Essex. As a local authority, we receive no additional funding for this duty and therefore the team incorporate it into their work programmes as best they can.
“The ability to undertake litter picking along the route is dependent on several factors but primarily resources, the weather, and safe working areas. The latter is a significant factor, meaning the full road closure was essential.
“I would like to wholeheartedly thank the Street Care and Safety team for their fantastic work in keeping our city litter-free. I would also like to take the opportunity to remind residents to dispose of rubbish responsibly. If people insist on throwing their litter in the streets or from vehicles, then we will act.”
The council continues to work with other local authorities responsible for maintaining trunk roads in Essex, as well as Essex County Council and National Highways, to create a coordinated plan to access closed routes during National Highways maintenance and conduct clean-up operations.
Residents and visitors to Colchester are encouraged to report and request a clean-up of instances of littering, graffiti, fly-tipping and more via the council's website here. Doing this helps the council map out areas in need, ensuring as many areas as possible are kept clean and tidy and environmental integrity is maintained.
Page last reviewed: 10 May 2024