April 9: Why Yorkshire will only win the war on litter with collective action

HOW I agree with the excellent items featured on the problem of littering, and the many interesting letters that have followed. I have written previously on littering and it is encouraging when there are others out there that are as concerned as myself.

Your columns by Clive Betts MP, Tom Richmond and GP Taylor should be included in classroom teaching if we are to educate the younger generation in solving littering.

The letter from the director general of the Tobacco Manufacturers Association included constructive information on what they are trying to do to stem the issue of smoking-related litter. They say that they are willing to explore smoking related litter reduction initiatives with local community groups and I encourage groups to take this up.

GP Taylor is concerned with chewing gum problems and says that living in a clean street brings better social cohesion and civic pride. How true this is, as being being personally involved with the civic movement – nationally with Civic Voice along with my local Brighouse Civic Trust, our aim is to try to protect the environment to make us all proud of where we live. The problem of littering is always coming up at our meetings and we regularly carry out litter picks but the results are short lived.

Littering is getting worse especially at the sides of main roads and footpaths almost everywhere. Tom Richmond raised a brilliant idea after seeing a car whose occupants threw away confectionery wrappers after leaving a garage forecourt. that as they had paid for the confectionery by debit card, it should be possible to trace discarded items back to them. With government think-tanks and IT experts, I am sure this could be done so that they can be held accountable.

I feel that the main problem is that the ones who litter most could not care less and some are probably oblivious of their actions and not aware of others’ concerns. Getting teams of people who have been given court orders requiring them to serve the community by picking up litter would be a good start.

My own solution to the litter problem, as mentioned by one correspondent, is to pick up litter myself whilst going to fetch The Yorkshire Post each day or out walking. It is only a small contribution to the problem but it does make a difference, and helps to make you feel better over the issue, but the problem will unfortunately continue.

The Communities and Local Government Select Committee inquiry concluded that a national litter strategy is needed if the country is to get to grips with the issue, which continues to blight communities. I hope it comes soon – existing anti-litter strategies are simply not working.

From: Will Roebuck, Founder and CEO, E Radar, Penistone Road, Shepley, Huddersfield.

IT’S an insult to those thousands of visitors to Yorkshire when we allow our stunning countryside, roads and byways to be blighted by litter. The problem is now endemic with no-one taking responsibility or being held accountable (Sue Cuthbert, The Yorkshire Post, April 4).

Surely The Yorkshire Post should spearhead a campaign to help get the place tidied up? A well considered strategy can bring local communities together under a common cause. We can also justify why visitors should be spending their hard-earned money across our region.

From: Barry Hague, Haig Street, Selby.

HAVING recently travelled to Sheffield south side from the M1 motorway and the A57 into Sheffield, I was amazed at the amount of roadside litter strewn along the verge for some considerable distance. What a welcome it is to the city of Sheffield, you have just arrived in the scruffiest place in Britain.

No doubt the responsibility lies with motorists who have just had a drive along the M1 and haven’t the brains to dispose of their rubbish safely.

It is time the authority which looks after this section of highway did the necessary and had a clean-up.

Tidal barrier only answer

From: John Goodman, Grove Close, Beverley.

I HAVE refrained from writing about the 2013 tidal surge in the Humber Estuary in the hope that the event would have alerted everyone to the potential losses, and as a result effective schemes would be proposed to protect the lives of the 500,000 people who live and work around the estuary.

Unfortunately this has not happened, indeed the very opposite is occurring. At a recent meeting of the East Riding of Yorkshire Council (ERYC) Flood Liaison Group, members were told that at any time in the next 50 years a tidal surge could occur that would cause damage costing £34bn and tens of thousands of lives could be lost.

The only guarantee of full tidal surge protection is a Humber Barrier near to the mouth of the estuary. A barrier eliminates most of the silt in the river, doubles the drainage capacity of the tide-locked drainage outfalls like the River Hull, Barmston Drain and Fleet Drain, provides the possiblilty of hydro electricity, creates a fresh water lake with huge environmental and recreational possibilities, and could be an irrigation source.

Deep navigation channels would make the whole of the river accessible to all sizes of shipping. Only by a new approach to the flood defences of the Humber Estuary will a safe dynamic community be assured.