One of Wales’ leading environmental charities is urging drivers to keep their conscience and our roadsides clear as part of a new national campaign.
With more vehicles than ever before on our roads and a significant increase in our food and drink on-the-go culture, roadside litter is a growing problem in Wales. It is harmful to our environment and wildlife. It ruins the beautiful views for locals and visitors alike, whilst also being difficult, dangerous and expensive to clean up.
Research shows that 78% of vehicle litterers feel guilty after littering. Keep Wales Tidy’s new campaign encourages drivers to have a guilt free journey with no regrets and ‘Drive your litter home’.
The nationwide campaign is being run as part of Caru Cymru (a Welsh phrase meaning ‘Love Wales’) – an inclusive movement led by Keep Wales Tidy and councils to inspire people to take action and care for the environment.
As part of the campaign, outdoor advertising will appear across roadside litter hotspots in Wales such as roadside billboards, back of buses and petrol pump adverts. This will also include radio and digital audio advertising to target drivers listening to their favorite channels.
Advertising will step up a gear during busy weekends and bank holidays over the summer months to target as many drivers as possible.
Keep Wales Tidy has also developed resources for haulage companies and other commercial drivers to utilise.
Keep Wales Tidy Chief Executive Lesley Jones said:
“We’re putting our foot down on roadside litter. Not only is it a blight on our beautiful country, and often the first thing visitors see when arriving into Wales, but it also has a significant impact on our environment and wildlife. We estimate that the cost of collection and disposing of roadside litter in Wales is at least £3.5 million every year.
Our new roadside litter campaign takes ‘do the right thing’ up a gear by highlighting how littering makes people feel. The vast majority of drivers know that littering from their vehicle is unacceptable, and we want everyone to have a guilt free journey with no regrets.
When you’re out and about in your vehicle please leave nothing behind you. Keep your conscience and our roadsides clear by driving your litter home or disposing of it in the nearest bin.”
