Rubbish results for North Devon Link Road drivers
LITTERING is again blighting the North Devon Link Road and drivers have been urged not to simply toss their rubbish from car windows. North Devon Council is again carrying out a blitz on litter along the entire road, but it looks as if many have not heede
LITTERING is again blighting the North Devon Link Road and drivers have been urged not to simply toss their rubbish from car windows.
North Devon Council is again carrying out a blitz on litter along the entire road, but it looks as if many have not heeded the plea to respect the area, with the amount of rubbish up by a quarter on last year.
Council staff began their clean up on Monday last week and in just four days almost 200 bags of rubbish were collected between Roundswell and Westleigh junction alone.
It takes some four-and-a-half weeks to do the entire 34 mile stretch of link road, picking everything up by hand and although council staff are happy to do their jobs, they admit the littering can be frustrating.
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"It is annoying," DLU staff member Martin Kiff told the Gazette, "as we travel back over areas we have already done that day and see the litter starting to come back again."
Councillor Rodney Cann, lead member for waste and recycling, said they might have to start considering "a big stick approach" with measures such as fines, if the educational message was not getting through.
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"Even though we carried out a similar litter blitz along the North Devon Link Road last year, it soon became untidy again - it is a costly exercise and should be totally unnecessary," he said.
"Not only does it make the route uninviting for both residents and tourists, but it costs council tax payers' money.
"We believe most of this litter is thrown out of car windows or left at lay-bys by a few irresponsible drivers. It's self evident it's not the tourists causing the problem, it is local people.
"Please think twice before dumping waste along the road and put simply, if we catch anyone dropping litter, we will take action, which can lead to a fine or possibly even court.
"I'd like to compliment the staff who do a thankless task at times, but they do take pride in keeping our countryside clean and they do a good job.
