Most Littered Regions Identified

The UK’s worst areas for roadside litter have been identified, amid growing concern that rubbish-strewn roads are becoming increasingly common. More than half of motorists, 55 per cent, say they have noticed more litter while driving.

A new AA survey found the West Midlands to be the worst-affected region, with 63 per cent of respondents reporting a rise in roadside rubbish. The North East followed, with 58 per cent noticing an increase.

Edmund King, director of the AA Charitable Trust, called the findings “a wake-up call” and warned of a “roadside litter epidemic”.

The poll of 11,000 members, conducted last month, also revealed that Eastern England and Yorkshire and the Humber are the third most littered regions, with 57 per cent of residents observing more rubbish. In London, 54 per cent reported an increase, compared with 53 per cent in the North West. 

Northern Ireland was found to be the cleanest, though 49 per cent still said litter had become more common.

Keep Britain Tidy estimates that more than two million pieces of litter are dropped across the UK every day. Councils spent £957 million on litter clean-ups in 2023–24, up from just under £700 million a decade earlier.

Under enforcement rules introduced in February 2022, councils can issue civil penalties to the registered keeper of a vehicle from which litter is thrown, regardless of who was driving. The public generally supports fines, with 55 per cent backing them, although this figure is slightly down on last year.

The AA is urging councils to receive greater funding for enforcement and roadside clean-ups, as well as investment in better infrastructure, including more visible and larger bins at lay-bys and service areas.

Mr King said: “There is no excuse for car litter louts. Tossing rubbish from vehicles spoils the environment, costs millions, and puts road workers at risk. It’s not hard to bag it and bin it.”

John Read, founder of the Clean Up Britain campaign, added: “The data confirms what many of us see every day. Litter is getting worse and harming our environment. We need to treat this as a national emergency, with tougher enforcement, better education and a cultural shift in attitudes.”

This article is for general information and interest purposes only and is not intended to provide legal advice, nor does it necessarily represent the views of HCB.