More information about roadside litter reduction

An area of concern across the forest is litter discarded from vehicles.

Litter picking on roads is dangerous for our staff. Often, roads must be closed.

This is why members of the public are strictly prohibited from litter picking on roads more than 30 mph.

When roadside verges are cut and maintained, any litter is shredded by the cutting machinery, causing more litter and damage.

We are working to reduce litter in the district with a 'game' approach on the A35, one of the worst areas for litter through the New Forest for litter.

On the road between Lyndhurst and Hinton there are some signs and scoreboards, displaying the area's litter score.

You'll also see other signs featuring our friends at Bashley Football Club and Totton Rugby Club.

These representatives of our local sporting community are there to remind road users to maintain the best possible litter score.

The game aims to discourage people from throwing litter from their vehicles by taking part in getting a good litter score.

We have explored the roadside on this stretch and have found a regular theme to the types of litter found, this could suggest to us which groups are making the problem and score worse.

Watch our latest video to see what types of litter we collected.

Scores and grades

The litter rating will be from A, good, to D, bad, with an overall percentage score on display based on how much litter is on the roadside.  The higher the percentage score, the less litter.

The current A35 litter grade / score is:

72%, grade B+.

How the score is worked out 

We have developed a way to assess the road fairly and accurately for the levels of litter which involves working out a percentage score.

Each road starts at 100% - equivalent to being litter free. We look at five separate sites along the stretch of road as testing points. For each litter type present (plastic, paper, metal etc.) it represents a minus to the overall percentage. The size of each piece is also a factor entered into the formula. An average score is taken from the five sample sites for an overall percentage of the road.

These sample sites will remain anonymous.

What you can do about litter

The main message of this campaign asks people to not litter and maintain the best possible score but we understand that that this message won't reach everyone.

Aside from not personally littering, you can help by spreading that message to the people you connect with.

The scores and grades are a great talking point and offers direct feedback to how we are doing in reducing roadside litter on this stretch.

The public should not litter pick at roadsides. If you want to litter pick, please read the community litter pick information.

The litter signs on the A35 have been specifically designed and spaced according to the road type to reduce distraction to road users.