Residents who live close to the A1 have shared their frustration about the amount of litter abandoned on the dual carriageway. Stretches of the A1 in the Newark and Sherwood district will be having lane closures overnight this week so that council teams can tackle the litter on the road.
This is a result of people illegally disposing of rubbish out of vehicle windows, which can pose a danger to other road users, wildlife and also make the area unpleasant. Speaking of the amount of litter on the road, programme manager and nearby resident Andrew Leatherland said: "There's nothing that paints a more negative picture of a place than having litter lying around everywhere."
He continued: "We use the A1 fairly regularly because sometimes it's quicker than going through Newark. We have noticed it just recently as they have cut it all back so you can notice it more and there is quite a lot of litter there, but we are not alone in that.
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"You'll find it up and down highways across the country." Speaking about the council's plan to clear up the litter, Andrew added: "I think it's really helpful that the council or whichever body are taking action, as if it doesn't get cleared than it will just blow everywhere.
"It's not helping the wildlife with all that plastic around."
A retired 65 year old from Coddington - who did not wish to be named - said: "I haven't experienced anything untoward really but I did notice when I came off the A1 to go to South Muskham the other day that there was a lot of litter there.
"It's just people chucking things out the window." Speaking about the plans to close lanes to clean up the litter, she added: "I think it's a really good idea and I think it's good of people to do it.
"I think there should be more education to stop it in the first place. It's the impact on other drivers and the effect on the environment, but I don't know how they could do that."
Housekeeper Johnnann Charles, 58, explained she has also noticed an issue with litter on the A1. She said: "We do see a little bit, but I would say it has got worse recently.
"It is nice that it's going to get cleared up as it's awful with all the rubbish." When asked if she thinks the build-up of litter is from people throwing things out of vehicles, she replied: "It wouldn't surprise me."
A local resident, 70, who did not wish to be named, said: "I don't drive, but my husband does and we go out and about. Over the weekend we said how bad the litter is along the motorway."
She added it was "good" it was being cleared up, as it "needs to be done." Newark and Sherwood District Council will be working with the company Amey to help clear the rubbish away during scheduled maintenance closures.
One lane was closed northbound from Fernwood until Coddington on Tuesday, April 18, whilst part of the southbound road was closed from marker posts 103/1 until 98/9 near Balderton. One northbound lane will also be closed on Wednesday, April 19, from the edge of Newark near South Muskham until Cromwell.
The third night of closures will see one lane closed on the northbound side of the road from the Holme side of Cromwell until Carlton on Trent.
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