Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what measures they are considering to tackle littering on roads.

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the responsibility for clearing highway litter lies with the relevant local authority or with National Highways (NH), depending on the type of road. In respect of local roads, litter collection is a matter for local highway authorities, and funding for this is provided as part of the Local Government Finance Settlement. In respect of the strategic road network, the Government has set a performance indicator for NH in respect of litter on its roads, and NH’s compliance with this is assessed at regular meetings with the Department’s officials, as well as by the Office of Rail and Road.

National Highways undertakes regular litter collection on motorway verges, and delivers a range of interventions to deter littering on its roads. These include installing signage; providing litter bins at service areas suitable for use by drivers of different vehicle types; social media messaging; and undertaking trials of AI enforcement cameras.