Plastic bag policy has been a success... now it's time for another solution to litter menace

Her question “who are the road users who throw out litter?” begs the question “why do they throw litter from their vehicles?”. While it is encouraging that people are volunteering to keep their village and environs litter free, how long are they expected to do so? Are they indemnified?

Many years ago, we were roundly told off by the county and borough councils for litter-picking as they told us we were doing it without their permission and we weren’t insured.

But they wouldn’t address the litter problem!

Maybe the people who toss litter from their vehicles are people feeling disenfranchised from society?

They seem to have lost the will to keep things neat, tidy, and look after their environment. They seem to have become thoughtless, they expect (possibly demand?) that someone else clean up after them. Maybe they are just plain lazy?

Yorkshire is a beautiful place, as is County Durham, Northumberland – the whole north, actually.

Alison’s point about taking litter home is one that has been advocated for a long time. It needs repeating again and again. Posters in food chain outlets could advise of the penalties for illegal litter disposal.

Sponsorship of litter-picking exercises from the food outlets could help – McDonalds, Ripon, sponsored one recently.

The coalition Government did a good job of reducing the number plastic bags thrown away, but now is it not time for a purge on other sources of litter?

Why not adopt the idea of putting a slogan on number plates, as they do in Canada: “Ontario – Keep it beautiful”. County border signs could read: “Yorkshire – Keep it beautiful” etc.

Are enough receptacles provided for the disposal of litter and at appropriate roadside points?

It is, though, very pleasing to note that recently there has been a marked decrease in litter alongside the roads. Thanks to whoever has done the litter-picking.

Michael Anderson, Ainderby Quernhow, Thirsk