Fury over litter dropped on verges in Herefordshire

Ed Lennox says the amount of litter piling up on the B4385 outside his house near Leintwardine in north Herefordshire is disgusting, and he is calling on Herefordshire Council to do more.

Mr Lennox had complained to the outgoing council chief executive Alistair Neill, but the problem persists.

“It’s disgusting, and I don’t seem to get anywhere with the council in cleaning it up. I think it’s a health hazard,” Mr Lennox said.

“It’s mad; it’s insane what’s being lobbed out of cars at the moment.

"There’s a gateway opposite my house and the other night there were two big cans of Stella. Has someone pulled in and had two cans of Stella on their way home? It strikes me as the most bizarre thing to do in the world, but that’s what has happened.

"I went for a dog walk, came back and there were two cans there.

“When I first moved here almost two years ago I went and cleared that layby almost completely with gloved hands and put the rubbish in my own bin.

“I complained to the outgoing, or now departed, chief executive about the state of the roads generally because I’d been picking up rubbish and unblocking drains along the side of the road.

"The chap who’s in charge of road maintenance for Herefordshire Council came out to take a look at the roads, which are disintegrating in an alarming way.”

Herefordshire Council did not respond to the Hereford Times, but its website says: “Dropping litter on any land is an offence for which we can give you a £140 fixed penalty notice (reduced to £100 if paid within 10 days).

“Herefordshire’s roads are swept regularly to our street sweeping schedule. We also work closely with Highways England to pick up litter on trunk roads, such as the A40 and A49.

"There are also community litter picks organised by parish councils and other local organisations.”