Roadside trash makes the Valley look tatty

Travelling around the Chew Valley should be a pleasurable experience, whether you are in a car, walking or cycling.  

However, that simple enjoyment is now being ruined by the curse of roadside litter, virtually everywhere you look. Sometimes it looks as though an individual food wrapper or can of drink has been thoughtlessly tossed out a car window, but in other areas there’s a lot more rubbish, which I suspect has come off something like an uncovered skip or an overloaded rubbish wagon.

The result is the whole place looks untidy and it gives the impression of an area which doesn’t have pride in its own appearance. It’s bad for the community as a whole but it’s really terrible for our businesses and their customers. I shudder to think what visitors make of it as they arrive. They are contributors to our local economy and we want them to enjoy their time in our lovely rural environment.

So, what’s to be done ? I personally regularly pick up litter on my walks. I know others do the same thing, so I would encourage you to do your bit if you are able to do so. The work of litter picking groups is much appreciated and they make a real difference in the areas in which they operate.

Unfortunately, there is just so much roadside litter now, often in places where picking it up is fraught with danger, that I think we need greater action, for which we may have to call on our local authorities. We’ll be meeting the Chief Executive of Bath and North East Somerset Council in the next few weeks and you can be sure the subject will be on the agenda.