Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 19 March 2025 to Question 38013, what steps she plans to take ensure Highways England and its contractors meet the legal requirements in the Environmental Protection Act 1990 for the removal of litter, debris and detritus from the highway, reservations, slip roads, embankments and verges (a) nationwide and (b) on the M60 and M67 in Gorton and Denton constituency.

The Environment Protection Act 1990 governs the responsibility for clearing highway litter and sweeping carriageways. National Highways is responsible for litter collection on motorways and some ‘A’ roads while the relevant Local Authority manages litter collection on the rest of the roads in England.

National Highways undertakes weekly safety inspections on the M60 and M67. National Highways’ most recent inspection of the M67 and M60 in Denton took place on 20 March 2025. The performance of contractors and their completion of maintenance activities are reviewed and monitored monthly by National Highways.