Scottish Canals has offered its support to a national campaign to clean up Scotland’s roads. The body, which is responsible for Scotland’s five canals, has publicly backed the initiative led by environmental charity Keep Scotland Beautiful, which urges road users to take personal responsibility for their litter, encouraging them to “give your litter a lift, take it home”.
The campaign aims to tackle the growing problem of litter ruining Scotland’s main roads and iconic routes. It brings together government, industry, charity and the public sector in partnership to drive forward innovative programmes Scotland-wide and raise awareness of the impacts of roadside litter – testing out new solutions to help solve the ever-increasing problem, which 88% of Scottish adults think creates a negative impression of our country.
Scottish Canals will be displaying campaign materials at its attractions throughout Scotland which encourage anyone visiting by car to take responsibility for their litter and take it home.
Thomas Thomson, Scottish Canals Deputy Customer Operations Manager said: “Scottish Canals is pleased to support the Keep Scotland Beautiful roadside litter campaign. We are committed to helping improve Scotland’s local environment, whether it is through the delivery of sustainable transport routes or by helping our visitors reduce their own environmental impacts.
“Tackling roadside litter will help to improve everyone’s experiences of Scotland. With over 22 million people visiting Scottish canals each year, we hope that we can reach out to those that travel by car or who are out enjoying our towpaths by boot or bike and encourage them to take their litter home and dispose of it responsibly.”
With 80% of marine litter deriving from land-based sources, supporting the roadside litter campaign will help to keep litter out of Scotland’s canals, and help Scottish Canals in its role of conserving and protecting the environment and heritage for all to enjoy. Images from the launch can be accessed here.
Recent litter monitoring by the Keep Scotland Beautiful has also revealed that over 96% of Scotland’s main roads and iconic routes are affected by litter.
Georgina Massouraki, Roadside Litter Campaign Officer with Keep Scotland Beautiful, said: “Keep Scotland Beautiful welcomes the support from Scottish Canals for our roadside litter campaign. With millions of visitors every year to our canals, this is an excellent opportunity to reach out to those that travel by car and remind them to be responsible with their litter when travelling across the country.
“Roadside litter is very challenging. It is difficult, dangerous and costly to clean up. This campaign is about encouraging drivers to take personal responsibility for their litter and dispose of their rubbish responsibly. Throwing litter from your vehicle is a disgusting and illegal habit – so do the right thing and give your litter a lift, take it home.”
Materials will be on display at all of the Scottish Canal visitors centres from November. Further information can be found at www.keepscotlandbeautiful.org/roadsidelitter
John graduated from Telford College in 2010 with an HNC in Practical Journalism and since then he worked for the North Edinburgh News, The Southern Reporter, the Irish News Review and The Edinburgh Reporter. In addition he has been published in the Edinburgh Evening News and the Hibernian FC Programme.
