Drivers reminded to ‘BAG
IT, BIN IT!’ and keep roads tidy as the Olympic Torch comes to the UK
As the Olympic
Torch relay gets underway this weekend, the Highways Agency is
calling on road users to help tackle roadside litter and ensure
that England’s motorways and major roads provide safe and pleasant
journeys during the summer of the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
The Highways Agency will continue to clear up roadside litter in
the run up to the Olympics and start of the torch relay and is
asking road users and local residents to take pride in where they
live and to dispose of their litter responsibly. Clearing litter
from busy roads such as motorways puts workers at risk and costs
money and time that could be far better spent.
Roads Minister Mike Penning said:
“As the torch relay travels across our road network, it will
showcase the best of our towns and countryside. Nobody wants that
to be spoilt by litter.
“That’s why in the build up to the Olympic and Paralympic
Games I’m reminding everyone to follow the simple ‘Bag it, Bin
it!’ message. If all drivers keep a bag in their vehicle to store
rubbish and then dispose of it safely, it will be a real step
forward in reducing roadside litter.
“It’s a disgrace that we spend nearly £10 million a year
clearing litter from the side of England’s motorways, just because
a lazy and thoughtless minority can’t be bothered to dispose of it
properly. It’s time for us all to step up to the mark and start
taking responsibility for our litter.”
The Agency estimates it removes nearly a quarter of a million
sacks of litter from England’s motorways every year, and is
running a roadside message campaign during the Olympic Torch
Relay, reminding drivers to dispose of their litter responsibly.
Roadside litter is not only unsightly, but is also a threat
to the environment and wildlife and can block drains and cause
flooding. For highway authorities, clearing litter diverts
much-needed resources away from road maintenance and repairs,
while items thrown from moving vehicles can be a hazard to other
road users.
Notes to Editors
1. The Highways Agency is an executive agency of the Department
for Transport. We manage, maintain and improve England’s motorways
and other strategic roads on behalf of the Secretary of State.
2. We plan maintenance and improvement projects carefully to
allow road works to be completed safely, in a cost effective way
while keeping disruption to road users to a minimum. We do as much
work as possible overnight and when roads are less busy in order
to keep more lanes open for road users at peak travel times.
Drivers are advised to check their route for road works and allow
extra time for their journeys where needed. We have a variety of
journey planning tools that road users can use to check travel
conditions on the roads we manage, and we will do all we can to
keep road users informed.
3. Safety at roadworks: The Highways Agency is working with
the industry and road users to reduce the risks of working on the
roads. For the safety of road workers and all road users, when you
are approaching roadworks:
- Keep within the speed limit – it is there for your
safety.
- Get into the correct lane in good time – don’t keep
switching.
- Concentrate on the road ahead, not the
roadworks.
- Be alert for works’ traffic leaving or entering
roadworks.
- Keep a safe distance – there could be queues in
front.
- Observe all signs – they are there to help you.
4. Real-time traffic information for England’s motorways and
other strategic roads is available:
- From the web at www.highways.gov.uk/traffic
or www.highways.gov.uk/mobile
if using a phone or mobile device.
- By phone from the
Highways Agency Information Line on 0300 123 5000 at any time.
(Calls to 0300 numbers will cost no more than 5p per minute from a
standard BT residential landline. Call charges from other
landlines and mobile networks may vary, but will be no more than a
standard geographic call and will be included in all inclusive
minutes and discount schemes). Make sure it’s safe and legal
before you call. Before using any mobile, find a safe place to
park. Never stop on the hard shoulder of a motorway except in an
emergency.
- On an iPhone app which will automatically select
the region you are in. Free to download from the iTunes store or
search for Highways Agency on your device.
- From Twitter –
there are eight feeds with live traffic information provided by
region. For information on roads in the south east region follow
us @HAtraffic_seast or for the full index visit www.highways.gov.uk/twitter.
5. Receive our national and regional press releases by RSS
and get the latest headlines straight to your desktop the moment
we publish them to our website. Choose to receive a national press
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Issued by the Highways Agency.
For further information please contact Mark Powell on 07776 466896.
Media enquiries outside of office hours should be made to the
Highways Agency National Press Office (24hrs) on 020 7081 7443.
Contacts:
Highways Out of Hours
Phone: 020 7081 7443
pressoffice@highways.gsi.gov.uk