Local councils from Suffolk have been given £10,000 by the government to help keep the county’s major roads clear of rubbish.

East Anglian Daily Times: Waste is often found beside the A14. File Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN.Waste is often found beside the A14. File Picture: SARAH LUCY BROWN. (Image: Archant)

The Suffolk Waste Partnership bid for the money from the government’s Litter Innovation Fund – and will now be looking at ways of persuading motorists not to add to the rubbish on the county’s major roads.

Suffolk Waste Partnership’s member authorities are responsible for clearing litter from public land and highways, with the cost of removing litter from Suffolk’s major A-roads the A14, A12 and A11 standing at £300,000 per year.

The Suffolk Waste Partnership has still to decide how to use the new money – the maximum available from the fund – but it is likely to focus on preventing rubbish in the first place.

It is set to work with businesses such as drive-thrus, service stations, garages and transport firms to seek their support in promoting responsible attitudes to litter disposal.

It may trial new style litter bins at key lay-bys and improve labelling and signs on litter bins along the A11, A12 and A14 in Suffolk.

It will trial new remote monitoring technology to help councils coordinate litter bin emptying more efficiently and effectively.

It plans to name and shame anyone taken to court and convicted for a littering offence anywhere in Suffolk.

It aims to run an awareness campaign to remind residents and visitors alike about the issues and the consequences of littering.

And it is looking to educate residents and businesses about how to prevent their waste inadvertently escaping their control and ending up as litter.

David Bowman, chair of the Suffolk Waste Partnership, said: “We recognise that littering is a major environmental concern for many of our residents, therefore we are delighted to receive this funding.

“It will help support our plans to try and make a real difference in reducing the problem and to make our beautiful county clean and green.”

Green Party councillor Andrew Stringer said the money was “hardly a bin-bag” to deal with the problem – and said much needed to be done: “We have to look at ways of reducing packaging and cutting down on the amount of waste in the first place.”