Who is responsible for litter clearance on motorways?
The Highways Agency is responsible for litter collection on motorways in England. Litter clearance, sweeping and debris collection are carried out on a regular basis by our managing agents. Litter picking alongside a high-speed carriageway is a dangerous task and appropriate traffic management is required, depending on the location. The frequency of litter picking often has to be balanced with the risks involved. Part of our response is to encourage people not to drop litter in the first place. The Agency has launched anti-litter campaigns such as the one in the south east, where leaflets and in-car litter bags were distributed, to persuade road users to take their litter home.