2 Tonnes Of Rubbish Cleared From A338

It's cost £10,000 to clear nearly two tonnes of rubbish from the A338 in Bournemouth.

The Dorset Waste Partnerhsip coordinated the work together with Bournemouth Borough Council. They took five nights – two more than expected – to clear the five-mile stretch between Ashley Heath roundabout and Blackwater junction.

Among the 1.8 tonnes of rubbish picked up were car tyres and electrical goods, including six discarded TVs.  After sorting the waste, the DWP has sent around a third of it to be recycled.

The work was done between 8pm and 6am to minimise disruption to motorists.  The DWP had to use vehicles with directional signs and a crash cushion to protect the team and warn road users of their presence, which are expensive.

The DWP is also working with neighbouring councils and the Highways Agency to clean up other key routes, including the A31 and A35, before the holiday season gets underway.

Steve Burdis, Director of the Dorset Waste Partnership, said:

“The recent scale of litter and indiscriminate dumping on the A338 highlights the true cost to taxpayers of dealing with a minority’s lack of care for our environment.

“Cleaning major roads like the A338 is dangerous work that requires safety measures to protect road-users and our workforce.

“This is both disruptive and expensive, meaning that we limit our litter-picking on these roads to twice a year on average.

“We are committed to tackling the problem on other key routes, which are also in a poor state.  But it would not cost as much if everyone took responsibility for their waste.”

Larry Austin, Bournemouth Borough Council strategic operations manager, added:

“The council has an excellent working relationship with the Dorset Waste Partnership and was happy to assist with this clean-up work on the A338, which also serves as the main approach road into Bournemouth.

“From the dumped items we cleared it is apparent that many people still have complete disregard for the way they dispose of litter and waste, meaning expensive costs for the taxpayer in clean-up fees and staff having to work in a dangerous environment to carry out the work.

“We would encourage anyone witnessing fly-tipping to report it to their local council.”

To report fly-tipping in Dorset, go to http://www.dorsetforyou.com/flytipping or call your local council.