Bed frames and human faeces discarded as motorway littering doubles

Mattresses, tyres and bags of human faeces have been found among items thrown from car windows and discarded on Yorkshire’s busiest roads, according to Highways England.

The amount of litter being dropped on the region’s motorways has almost doubled in the past year, with authorities retrieving more than 10,000 pieces of rubbish since January alone.

Oil drums, bed frames and bottles of urine have also been found lying on hard shoulders and roadside grass.

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An average of 42 bags a day have been dropped by motorists so far in 2015, as opposed to 24 a day for the whole of last year.

The alarming increase has prompted the government agency responsible for the upkeep of major roads to speak out about the issue and urge drivers to dispose of their waste responsibly and legally.

Roger Wantling, from Highways England, said: “Litter thrown from moving vehicles can cause accidents as well as blocking drains and creating a threat to wildlife. It also puts the safety of workers collecting it at risk of being struck by passing vehicles.

“We are committed to maintaining a high level of service for our road users and neighbouring communities. By keeping our roads free of litter we can make for a safer and more pleasant environment for everyone.

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“We spend millions of pounds on collecting litter from England’s motorways every year – money we’d much rather spend on maintaining and improving the network. We’re therefore urging drivers to keep a rubbish bag in their vehicle so we can get on with the job of upgrading the motorways. Stop roadside litter. Bag it, bin it.”