Responsibility for clearing litter from motorways and roads
The secÂtions of trunk roads where HighÂways England retains the responÂsiÂbilÂity for sweepÂing and cleanÂing.
Documents
Details
There are sevÂeral pieces of legÂisÂlaÂtion alloÂcatÂing responÂsiÂbilÂity for refuse colÂlecÂtion on motorÂways and trunk roads:
- The HighÂways Act of 1980 proÂvides for StatuÂtory InstruÂments (SI) to enable a stretch of road and slip road to be desÂigÂnated as a ‘speÂcial roadâ€� (ie. a motorway).
- The EnviÂronÂmenÂtal ProÂtecÂtion Act of 1990 makes a disÂtincÂtion between speÂcial roads, which are the responÂsiÂbilÂity of the SecÂreÂtary of State; and trunk roads, which are the responÂsiÂbilÂity of the local authority.
There are some excepÂtions, covÂerÂing a small numÂber of roads, where the Act allows the SecÂreÂtary of State to transÂfer responsibilities.
ReportÂing litÂter and debris
To find out who is responÂsiÂble for clearÂing litÂter and debris from local roads visit: /reporting-road-obstruction