Failure to Remove Litter Following Central Reservation Maintenance

I am writing to express my disappointment and frustration at the appalling state of the central reservation following what appears to have been recent maintenance works on one of your roads.

It is evident that the grass has been cut back, yet the huge amount of litter and debris scattered throughout the central reservation have simply been mown over and left in place. Rather than improving the appearance of the road, this has created what can only be described as a continuous rubbish tip stretching for miles. Every day on my commute I am confronted with a landscape of shredded plastic, cans, bottles, packaging and other waste strewn across the central reservation and verges. It is both depressing and embarrassing that our road network has been allowed to deteriorate to this extent.

What is particularly difficult to understand is why the litter was not collected while maintenance crews were already working in the central reservation. It would seem entirely reasonable and far more efficient to remove the accumulated rubbish before or during grass-cutting. Instead, the debris has simply been chopped up and redistributed, making the problem even worse.

The sheer volume of rubbish is now overwhelming. Members of the public who volunteer to litter pick in their local communities cannot simply enter a central reservation without risking prosecution or serious injury. The responsibility therefore rests squarely with the relevant authorities. Unfortunately, it appears that keeping these roads free from litter has become one of the lowest priorities, despite the obvious environmental impact, the poor public image it creates, and the message it sends about standards of maintenance and care.

This situation is no longer an isolated issue, it is spiralling out of control. The accumulation of waste is increasing year after year, yet visible action to address it seems almost non-existent. For an organisation responsible for managing England's major roads, this is simply unacceptable.

I ask that you review your maintenance practices to ensure that future grass-cutting operations include the removal of litter rather than merely mowing over the top of it.

Road users deserve better than to travel through corridors of discarded rubbish every day. I hope you will treat this matter with the urgency it clearly warrants and provide a meaningful response outlining the steps you will take to address what has become a highly visible and worsening problem.