Litter on motorways
Westminster Hall debate
On Tuesday 25 April 2023, the Rt Hon Sir Mike Penning MP led a Westminster Hall debate on litter on motorways.
Ahead of the debate, he gave the following statement:
"The amount of litter on the motorway network poses a threat to the environment, habitats and to public safety. National Highways is responsible for clearing the litter in England*, and in my view there are further steps they could take to deal with this problem.
"This debate gives me the opportunity to push for the Secretary of State for Transport to establish a top-level Key Performance Indicator for litter on National Highways. This would then have the same priority as currently given to air quality, noise, biodiversity and carbon emissions.
"I argue that we need to support the AI software/cameras that are being developed to identify people who litter from vehicles and ensure the vehicle owners are liable and prosecuted.
"In addition, I believe that we should issue higher fines for anyone littering on motorways than for littering elsewhere, as littering on motorways can contribute to a traffic accident."
*Responsibility for clearing litter on motorways in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland is managed by the devolved administrations.
Read the transcript on Hansard
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