Check what you know
Did you know?
Best practice tips
Check what you know
Did you know?
- You can be issued with a fixed penalty charge of up to £150 for a litter offence.
- Every pound we spend on litter picking could be used to improve our road network and fund environmental projects.
- 47% of commercial vehicle drivers admit to littering.
Part IV of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 makes dropping litter a criminal offence.
Tens of thousands of bags of litter were collected by National Highways in 2022. To keep our people safe we have to close motorway lanes, delaying drivers and costing the tax payer millions of pounds a year.
On top of this, litter thrown onto motorways and major A roads can cause a safety hazard to drivers and vehicles, as well as the workers who have to collect it.
If not collected, it can directly impact the local environment and wildlife, causing damage to roadside facilities and blocking drainage systems, potentially causing flooding.

Best practice tips
To report any instances of littering from vehicles on motorways and major A roads, call National Highways on 0300 123 5000 or report online at https://report.nationalhighways.co.uk
National Highways works with various bodies and anti-litter organisations,
including Keep Britain Tidy, supporting the ‘Great British Spring Clean’.
keepbritaintidy.org/get-involved/support-our-campaigns/great-british-spring-clean
The 3 Rs are used in waste management to help reduce littering on the network.
Reduce the amount of litter to improve health and safety on the roadside.
- Dispose of your litter in bins provided.
- Where there are no bins, bag your litter to dispose of it later, or take it home with you.
Reuse for the same purpose or repurpose instead of disposal.
- Reuse existing water bottles and containers to reduce the quantity of packaging thrown away.
Recycling transforms waste materials into new products.
- Recycling items as much as possible is a great way to reduce your impact on the environment. From thinking differently about what you buy, to refilling water bottles and re using bags for life.
The aims of Keep Britain Tidy include: To eliminate litter, End waste & Improve places
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