Which side of the fence is Hounslow on?

Hounslow Highways is joining forces with environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy today to highlight the real cost of litter.

Litter is a problem that is costing almost £1billion a year to deal with in England and here, in the London Borough of Hounslow, about £3.2 million is spent on cleaning the streets every year.

To highlight the cost and to show people just what happens when councils and their contractors stop cleaning up after them, today (Monday 16 December 2013), Hounslow Highways will be cleaning just one side of Hounslow High Street while leaving the other to fend for itself.

The initiative is supported by Keep Britain Tidy and the charity’s chief executive Phil Barton said: “The £1billion bill that we are all paying to clean the litter off our streets, parks and beaches is too high.

“It is time everyone realised the scale of the task facing local authorities in keeping the places we call home clean and tidy.

“The question we all need to ask ourselves is ‘When it comes to litter, which side of the fence are you on?’

“The answer to solving the litter problem that blights our country is in our own hands. We need to take responsibility for our own behaviour and do one simple thing – put our rubbish in a bin.

“We are delighted that Hounslow Highways is joining with us in this activity. Local authorities are working tirelessly to deal with the problem of litter but they cannot solve the problem alone. They need support from individuals, communities and businesses.”

Hounslow Highways Service Director Rob Gillespie said: “Hounslow Highways is pleased to be involved. Whilst it is our job to keep the streets of Hounslow clean; everyone has a responsibility when it comes to achieving a cleaner, greener borough. The ‘Which side of the fence are you on?’ campaign will help demonstrate just how much street litter is accumulated in a short space of time through illegal disposal of waste.”

To find out more about Keep Britain Tidy’s Which Side of the Fence…? campaign visit keepbritaintidy.org