Mapping a way forward to tackle roadside litter

Collaborative action needed to keep Scotland's roadsides beautiful

A call for urgent collaboration has been made following a summit on roadside litter hosted for us by Perth & Kinross Council.

Roadside litter damages Scotland’s reputation.  It is dangerous and expensive to clean up.  And it poses a real threat to Scotland’s, already depleted, wildlife and livestock.  Additionally, it impacts the wellbeing of many communities, landowners and businesses.

88% of people think roadside litter is a problem, with more than nine in ten believing that litter on our roadsides creates a negative impression of our country.

Following a campaign in Perth and Kinross with an urban and rural focus where we worked with volunteers, local and national business owners and members of Killiiecrankie, Fincastle and Tummel Community Council, we invited key stakeholders to a summit to present the findings and share learnings on the different ways roadside litter impacts communities.

At the summit we called for collaboration to drive forward a roadmap to tackle roadside litter – including:

• creating a coalition of organsiations willing to work together to reduce roadside litter in Scotland;
• continuing to test interventions and messages to create collective ownership of behaviour change campaigns; and
• facilitating collaboration between coalition members and communities to increase knowledge transfer and to share good practice.

Barry Fisher, our CEO said: “Scotland is a beautiful country. Our roads are how we travel and explore it. They are part of the landscape linking communities across Scotland and yet road users often don’t connect to the places they pass through.  Road users don’t often think about the impact litter chucked from vehicles can have on those who live nearby, on the landscape or nature, on businesses just off the route who depend on attracting visitors, or the financial cost to all of us of cleaning up. 

“But our learnings from the work in Perth and Kinross have revealed the depth of impact on communities and businesses such as those in and around Killiecrankie as well as the pressure put on the public purse as local authorities and duty bodies work to remove litter from roadsides - it’s a thankless challenge that starts again as soon as it is done.

“Together with partners who attended our summit, we’ve identified three strands of action which we aim to drive forward including strategic asks of the Scottish Government, of industry and corporate organisastions and of local authorities and communities.

“Our data clearly shows the need for more action, and we are committed to doing what we can.”

A final report on the campaign delivered in Perth and Kinross will be made available later in the spring.

Perth and Kinross Council Economy and Infrastructure Convener Councillor Eric Drysdale said: “Roadside littering is not just unsightly, it harms wildlife, damages the environment and costs the taxpayer money to clean it up – money that could be better spent on other services.

“I hope we can continue working together to prevent roadside littering and encourage people to keep their rubbish in their vehicle until they can dispose of it properly.”