A Council cleansing crew worked consecutive nights last week to collect litter and debris from a large part of the Plymouth stretch of the A38. The clean-up helps keep the route safe and clear of any potential hazards to road users.
They will be back out again soon, but crew have so far removed over three tonnes of material that had accumulated along the roadside, including everything from car tyres, wing mirrors and bumpers to food and drink containers, nappies, plastic sheeting, timber and even a dolls house.
But it’s no child’s play! Clearing the full stretch of the A38 and the central reservation is a challenging task, this is done at night to reduce disruption to road users, with one lane of the high-speed trunk road remaining open to vehicles whilst ensuring the safety of staff on the ground.
The specialist team made full use of the reduced night traffic and head torches when working across the eight-mile stretch of the A38 between the Tamar Bridge and Plympton Hill. This is the stretch that the Council is responsible for and includes eighteen slip roads and six laybys.
Any suitable waste collected will enter the Energy from Waste process and generate heat and electricity to be used to supply the surrounding area and power the national grid.
Councillor Sue Dann, Cabinet Member for Environment and Street Scene said: “Our dedicated crews work really hard to keep our highways clean and safe, whilst reducing inconvenience to drivers as much possible.
“A disappointing amount of rubbish finds its way to the verges from deliberate littering and flytipping as well as window blown litter and vehicle debris. Every time our team has to clear the A38, those staff and costs are diverted from other cleansing works.
“It is a crime to dump rubbish. If you see it happening anywhere in the city, you can report the details to us including personal CCTV or dash-cam footage, so that we can investigate.”
You can report fly-tipping online. Drivers caught dropping litter can be fined up to £2,500 and find themselves in court. There is no limit for the level of fine that can be given to fly-tippers, including a prison sentence.