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22 November 2024

idverde and Wiltshire Council Tackle Roadside Litter in Wiltshire

idverde, in partnership with Wiltshire Council, has been actively engaged in litter collection across all A, B, and C roads in Wiltshire. Over the past three months, idverde crews have braved all weather conditions to collect litter discarded along the roadsides. This litter not only poses a hazard to road users but also harms our biodiversity.

Litter Collection Efforts:

  • Daily Patrols and Collections: Our teams conduct daily patrols to collect litter, striving to keep Wiltshire tidy and litter-free. We collect hundreds of bags of litter from the road network every month.
  • Annual Campaign Participation: idverde participates in additional activities each year, including Keep Britain Tidy’s annual Great British Spring Clean campaign. We collaborate with Parish Councils, community groups, and schools within Wiltshire to enhance our efforts.

Litter Management System:

  • Hazard Response: We prioritise litter collection where it poses a hazard to road users and biodiversity.
  • Regular Inspections: Wiltshire Council Inspectors regularly survey and grade the network according to The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs’ Code of Practice for Litter and Refuse. This ensures we meet required standards and address degraded areas promptly.
  • Hotspot Identification: Inspectors have identified several litter ‘hotspots’ on the road network, which are cleared more frequently. Additional anti-litter measures, such as signage or extra bins, are considered for these areas.

Planning and Safety:

  • Careful Planning: Litter picking activities are carefully planned to ensure worker safety, minimise disruption to road users, and manage costs effectively.
  • Public Feedback: We welcome feedback from the public to report litter on our roads.

Please find below the kilometres covered, number of bags collected and an estimated weight of the litter collected from the beginning of August to the end of October 2024.

Roads KM Number of bags Approx. KG
A Roads 2065 1338 8028
B Roads 530 683 4098
C Roads 301 423 2538
Total 2896 2444 14664
Andrew Smith, Operational Manager for idverde said “It’s not ideal for our crews to be working in such risky conditions having to collect discarded waste from the roadside, and I would like to thank my teams for the work they do. It saddens me that there is still large volumes of litter being discarded on the roadside, and our message will always be to keep your waste in your vehicle and take it home, rather than discarding it and causing a potential hazard to other road users, the environment and wildlife.’’ Don't Mess with Wiltshire is encouraging people to play their part to keep the countryside clean, use litter bins or take it home to recycle or dispose of in their household waste. It is a great opportunity to educate people to dispose of their litter responsibly and to empower them to take part in litter picking initiatives in their local community.’’
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