Roadside used as rubbish tip gets a clean-up
WORK has begun to clear piles of rubbish on the A38 between Plymouth and Cornwall following complaints drivers are treating the roadside like a rubbish dump.
Local people are furious about litter and debris on the verges – particularly the stretch between Lee Mill in Devon’s South Hams and the Cornwall border at the Tamar Bridge.
One angry Plymstock resident said both sides of the A38 are in “the most appalling state” with plastic sheeting, old tyres, “and of course empty takeaway containers” all being left behind.
The disgruntled resident said she had been in touch with South West Devon Conservative MP Sir Gary Streeter to voice her concerns about the problem.
When asked about the matter, Sir Gary said: “I share the concerns about the litter alongside the A38 and I have now raised this three times with South Hams District Council and on a number of occasions with Plymouth City Council in relation to Deep Lane to Marsh Mills.
“I am being told this is a difficult issue to resolve, but I am doing all I can to ensure that local authorities with this responsibility do their duty despite Covid restrictions.
“I see absolutely no reason why a gang of people with appropriate equipment cannot start to work on this immediately and I will keep the pressure up.”
Plymouth City Council this week confirmed that work is now under way to clear the roads.
A dedicated crew will head out on consecutive nights when traffic is lighter to clear the edge of the carriageway and the central reservation to keep it safe for road users.
Councillor Sue Dann, Plymouth
City Council cabinet member for environment and street scene, said: “The planned work to collect litter and debris from the Plymouth stretch of the A38 commenced on Monday.
“The team will work consecutive nights to help keep the route safe and clear of any potential hazards to road users.
“Clearing the full stretch of the A38 and the central reservation is a challenging task. As one lane of the highspeed trunk road needs to remain open to vehicles to reduce disruption, this is done at night, as the reduced traffic helps to ensure the safety of staff on the ground.
“Our dedicated crews work really hard to keep our highways clean and safe, whilst reducing inconvenience to drivers as much possible.
“A huge amount of rubbish finds its way to the verges – from deliberate littering and fly-tipping to window-blown litter and blown-out tyres.
“Every time our team has to clear the A38, they are diverted from other cleansing works. It is a crime to dump rubbish. If you see it happening you can report the details to us, including CCTV or dash-cam footage, so that we can investigate.”