Tag Archives: HM Government

Highways England is providing the bins as part of a North West initiative to tackle littering after over 40,000 sacks of rubbish had to be collected from motorways in the region last year – an average of 108 sacks for every mile of motorway.

The window-height bins are being installed at around a dozen service areas in the North West over the next few months, and the first bins have been installed at Lymm Services by the M6 in Cheshire this week.

Two different sizes of bins are being installed – ranging from 1.8 to 2.2 metres high – next to Give Way lines at the exit to service area car parks. The bins allow both car and lorry drivers to reach the half-a-metre-wide funnels from their vehicles’ windows.

Paul Elliott, Service Delivery Team Leader at Highways England, said:

We’re committed to tackling littering on our network and are installing the funnel bins at service areas in the North West. The bins offer another opportunity for road users to dispose of their rubbish responsibly within service areas.

Our teams of workers do a fantastic job removing litter from motorways every year but we’d much rather they were able to spend more of their time carrying out maintenance work.

The new giant funnel bins will make it much easier for drivers to get rid of their litter as they won’t need to leave their vehicles, and I’d urge drivers to either use the bins on the network or to take their litter home with them.

It costs taxpayers an estimated £40 for each sack of litter collected from motorways – roughly the same cost as fixing a pothole.

Litter poses a risk to other drivers if it lands on windscreens, causes a threat to wildlife and leads to flooding if drains become blocked so litter picking is regularly carried out across the network.

Rubbish has to be collected close to fast-moving traffic – putting workers at risk – and lane closures are often needed, causing needless disruption to drivers.

Paul Cooper, 46 from Bolton, has been collecting litter from motorways in the North West for 19 years as part of his job as a maintenance worker for Balfour Beatty Mott MacDonald. Paul’s other duties include filling potholes, repairing safety barriers and clearing drains. He said:

I think most drivers who sling litter out their windows don’t really think about what they’re doing, and that someone like me has to come along and clear up after them. It tends to be worst on slip roads or where there’s standing traffic, as that’s when drivers seem to decide to have a clear out of their cars.

There’s always an element of risk when you’re working on the network as you’re near traffic so my message to drivers is please stop dropping litter and use the bins or take it home with you instead.

The bins are being installed as part of a North West litter initiative, which also involves trialling new signs with the message ‘Workers lives are put at risk picking your litter’ and carrying out extra litter picking patrols to help tackle the issue.

CCTV footage has also been released which shows a lorry driver discarding an oil container at the side of the M62 near Rochdale after pulling over to the hard shoulder to add oil to his vehicle’s engine. The footage is available to watch at https://youtu.be/5kwOY-kBuAI.

General enquiries

Members of the public should contact the Highways England customer contact centre on 0300 123 5000.

Media enquiries

Journalists should contact the Highways England press office on 0844 693 1448 and use the menu to speak to the most appropriate press officer.

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The Prime Minister spoke to leader of the Democratic Unionist Party Arlene Foster and leader of Sinn Fein in Northern Ireland Michelle O’Neill about the Boeing – Bombardier trade dispute.

In separate phone calls the Prime Minister said how today’s statement was very disappointing news and expressed concern about the implications this could have for jobs and livelihoods and the wider economy in Northern Ireland. The Prime Minister said how she had personally raised this issue recently with President Trump, Prime Minister Trudeau and the Chief Executive of Bombardier.

On UK Government support, the Prime Minister said how ministers across Government – including Greg Clark and James Brokenshire – were continuing to engage intensively with Boeing, Bombardier, the Canadian Government, the US Administration and others on this important issue.

They also discussed how, while this was a preliminary judgment, it was an uncertain and worrying time for the workers and their families at the Bombardier facility and how the UK Government wanted to see a credible solution reached as quickly as possible.

The Prime Minister welcomed how both leaders had been working together to protect jobs and put Northern Ireland’s case forward on this issue.

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The Interministerial Group will look at the UK response to hurricane hit Islands.

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Mark Field, Minister for Asia at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, has become the first foreign minister from outside the region to visit Rakhine state in Burma since the crisis there escalated with hundreds of thousands fleeing to Bangladesh. He held talks in Burma with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to press for an urgent resolution to the crisis in Rakhine.

The meeting in Naypyidaw followed a visit by Mr Field to Rakhine State where he saw for himself the displacement of people caused by recent violence against the Royingya Muslims that has seen more than 400,000 fleeing to neighbouring Bangladesh.

Mr Field made clear the violence needs to stop, with the security forces taking responsibility to protect all communities and the government allowing full humanitarian access for aid. He also emphasised Britain’s call for the Burmese government to implement the recommendations of Kofi Annan’s Rakhine Advisory Commission, to create the conditions in which Muslim, Buddhist and other communities can live along side each other peacefully and sustainably.

Mr Field also travelled to Rakhine and met the Rakhine Chief Minister Nyi Pu and State Executive Secretary U Tin Maung Swe, as well Rakhine-based UN agencies and international NGOs. He visited camps set up for Rohingya Muslims and other displaced communities who have remained in the country.

Last week Mr Field and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson took part in key talks on the Rakhine issue at the United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Mr Field said:

What we have seen in Rakhine in the past few weeks is an absolute and unacceptable tragedy. We need the violence to stop and all those who have fled to be able to return to their homes quickly and safely. The UK has taken a central role driving a clear international response, including securing a United Nations Security Council statement.

During my meetings with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and others, I strongly emphasised the need for Burma to heed the Security Council’s call to end violence and allow humanitarian access to those in need of aid.

I have also seen for myself some of the communities which have been so badly damaged by what has happened here. Burma has taken great strides forward in recent years. But the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis in Rakhine risks derailing that progress.

Mr Field and FCO-DFID Joint Minister Alistair Burt will tomorrow (Thursday 28) hold talks in Bangladesh with key Government officials and aid agencies to identify how best to provide lifesaving support to the large influx of refugees from Burma.

The UK has already announced an extra £30 million of funding to meet urgent humanitarian needs of those affected in Bangladesh and Burma, with the majority of the funding due to be spent in Bangladesh.

Notes to Editors:

A further £5.9 million was committed prior to this influx to meet the needs of the most vulnerable refugees and the host communities who support them.

Violence in Burma Must Stop

Further information

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The British Embassy in Tunisia is delighted to announce the selection of five young Tunisians as this year’s Chevening scholars. The scholarships will allow them to pursue one-year postgraduate study in the UK from September 2017 in order to obtain a Master’s degree from a British university of their choice.

Chevening scholars are distinguished by their leadership potential and their commitment to Tunisia’s development within their areas of expertise. Their study in the UK will provide them with the tools needed to make a difference in Tunisia once they return to their country. This year’s scholars will specialise in: commercial analysis; public policy; agriculture and rural development; psychology in conflict zones; and cultural studies.

Congratulating the successful candidates British Ambassador Louise de Sousa said:

I commend the selected candidates for having passed the rigorous selection process. The Chevening programme reflects the UK’s belief in education as a tool for the development of societies. UK universities are ranked among the best in the world. And we are pleased to offer the young leaders of Tunisia the opportunity to participate in the prestigious Chevening programme. Tunisia is particularly distinguished by its young people active in civil society, politics, and entrepreneurship. Thus, scholars of this year, past and future years, represent a concrete example of this distinguished youth, able to create a change. In the course of this academic year, candidates Nayress, Khawla, Kais, Mohamed Ali, and Ahmed will become ambassadors of Tunisian culture in the UK. They will also join an influential network of Chevening alumni, which now includes more than 44,000 members in 150 countries across the world.

Chevening Scholarship applications for the next academic year, 2018-19, are now being accepted. Applications must be submitted by 8 November 2017.

Scholarships fund one year postgraduate study in the UK in the following priority subject areas:

• Public administration, good governance and transparency;
• International relations and political participation;
• Journalism and strengthening the capacity of the media;
• Rule of law
• Security and the fight against terrorism.

For further information about Chevening scholarships or to submit an application you can visit chevening.or

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