Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department is providing to National Highways to tackle littering near major roads and motorways.

The Department for Transport supports National Highways to deliver the Road Investment Strategy, and operate, maintain, renew and enhance the Strategic Road Network. The Department provides funding to National Highways for operations and maintenance (opex) funding, which includes litter picking and clearance. As part of the second Road Investment Strategy, National Highways is committed to reporting a litter performance indicator. This metric measures the percentage of the Strategic Road Network, on which National Highways is responsible for litter clearance, that is clear of litter and refuse, or predominantly clear of litter and refuse apart from some small items. The Department holds National Highways’ performance against this metric to account and assists the Office of Rail and Road to monitor National Highways.

The Department provides a link with wider Government to influence littering behaviour in a number of ways including through Government’s and National Highways’ Litter Strategies, supporting National Highways’ policymaking, anti-littering campaigns, enforcement, and improvements to operational effectiveness and partnership working.