At the moment there is a lot of litter along the road side. The winter undergrowth dying back has revealed last years crop of discarded bottles and fast food wrappers along the verge of every main road in the country. This year though it has been worse as cleaning crews have not been able to get out and clear it as promptly. This is due to several recent fatalities in roadside clearing crews on high speed roads and the need to agree new working practices with Unions, Contractors and the HSE (Health and Safety Executive).
The new rules require revised traffic safety arrangements on any roads with a speed limit above 40MPH which are now being implemented. This needed new equipment and training for operatives, the safety of whom is of course the paramount concern.
This has now taken place and work has begin by EHDC to catch up on the litter picking. The first priority is the A3 which is expected to take up to 3 weeks to clear, then other roads will follow.
Officers and staff at EHDC are very sorry this has been a highly visual problem early this year but are confident residents will notice a quick improvement. Ensuring the safety of the people who work for us is the first priority.
Finally, we need to remember that this litter comes from someone – generally a very small portion of the community who have no regard for where they live or who has to go behind them and clear up. Even with the safest of working practices clearing litter along the highways is one of the more hazardous jobs going.
EHDC is responsible for clearing the A3 including the slip road at Junction 1. The Highways Agency is responsible for clearing the A3M carriageway.
horndeanmatters 
I see absolutely no reason for EHDC to apologise for anything. The only people who should be are the morons who dump the litter, but, of course, they never will.
Good Morning Chris, I could not agree more and thank you for your very well made point. Personally I would make roadside clearance gangs up using people caught littering as their community payback.
Entirely agree.
Concur
Thank you for this information. I have been appalled by the litter along the A3, not only in Hampshire but in Surrey as well.
The loss of operatives’ lives is tragic so I am glad that safety has been addressed.What a sad inditement of our society that people have lost their lives because a selfish people who litter our environment and seem not to care about the impact.
it is really sad to hear that people have died whilst collecting rubbish from roadsides.
We had wondering if we were imagining the visible increase in roadside rubbish, seems we were not.
Country lanes around the area are also victims of dumping, Woodhouse Lane, for example.
As Council taxpayers we pay for rubbish collection, removal, recycling so it seems that some people don’t care about their fellow man nor the environment, nor the fact that dumped rubbish becomes a health hazard to all.
No apology needed by EHDC.
Thanks Wendy for the very considered reply. EHDC spends tens of thousands every year clearing fly tipping and every now and again we do find enough evidence to prosecute someone. guy.
Glad to see you have picked up on this! It’s pretty poor show all round, and if this is how us civilised individuals behave then I feel we are all on a slippery slope to mayhem, with another 700 house planned this has to be controlled more strictly or the area will resemble a Tip, anyone who witnesses it need to snap them with their mobile and report immediately. We all have to play a part.
Still on the subject of litter and on the same day The News mentions that the Horndean Post Office is moving into the Spar and Chemist shop, please try and get one of the current operates to clean up the disgusting litter mess along the walkway leading up to the Spar, when the surgery opens it can’t do so with the filth remaining!?
Hi Steve, The Gales Development is owned by Linden Homes who have a management company in place to maintain the drains, bins, litter etc. When a development like this is finished they are sometimes handed over to the local parish or district council with a dowry to fund future maintenance. I do not believe Linden propose to do this here but the tenants pay a maintenance charge. I have raised this with them already at a recent meeting but please drop them a line perhaps via the marketing suite, it will help chase this up. Best wishes, Guy.
Good idea, will do and also in the store as most of the rubbish came from there originally.
There is litter at the bottom of White Dirt Lane aswell. I was shocked to see so much. However, although many of the public are responsible, I do believe that much of it blows out off the bin lorry when they empty them. It was never as bad when EHDC lorries did the emptying. I have witnessed litter being droppped as the bins are emptied several times. It doesn’t get picked up!
When I was at school we were taught reguarly to respect our country and put our rubbish in the litter bin. We sang a song called ‘Milk Bottle Tops and Paper Bags’. It worked for the majority of us. LOL, we would have to call it ‘Plastic Bottle Caps and Carrier Bags’, now. Oh how times have changed.
Thank you for the information Guy, I had noticed the increase in roadside rubbish, particularly driving to Sunderland recently. I was worried it was due to cutbacks so I am horrified to hear it is due to the deaths of workers doing this job. Major pride in Britain campaign needed.
Hi Cathy, stuff does blow about in the wind from other areas but I would guess that 90% is thrown from car and can windows. It is as you say horrifying that this then results in fatalities clearing it up.
Personally I’d fit cameras around and then punish the people doing it by making them clear it up.
Guy.
Went into Spar Shop and LInden Homes, Spar say they clean outside shop and forward 10 feet every other day. Spar say they have asked Linden to put a rubbish bin along the walk way and to sweep up, Linden say they don’t do anything and acted as if first time they heard of this, pointed out where it was, they blamed social housing for throwing cigs and rubbish off their balcony, might be right but they still manage and maintain area so its down to them to manage, they did say they would email their customer care department, lets not hold our breath. When the surgery opens this will have to be controlled or its health and safety before you walk into the surgery!
I think it is good, but also right that the Spar clean around their unit – but Linden Homes do need to get on and appoint their management company to look after the carpark. it will also be broken gullies, blocked drains etc in the future as well as the daily maintenance. something the Parish Council and EHDC are following up.
Pingback: Community Responds To Litter | horndeanmatters
It is a sad state of affairs when people have to lose their lives clearing up litter from inconsiderate and thoughtless individuals. I would like to see far more use of the overhead information signs to reinforce the message that dropping litter is an offense and carries a hefty fine and possible criminal record. When I drive through roadworks on Motorways with restricted speed limits I notice signs asking people to reduce their speed and be mindful of the people working on the site. Why not similar signs reminding people of the danger to litter pickers?