Tidy Our Town: Look out for the 25 signs across West Northamptonshire urging road users to bin their litter

A positive step forward has been made as 25 electronic road signs across West Northamptonshire will display anti-littering messages until the end of May.

Using electronic road signs to display encouraging messages is something the Northants Litter Wombles first brought to the attention of West Northamptonshire Council in March last year.

As part of the council’s ongoing anti-littering campaign, they will utilise the road signs to promote these important messages until the end of next month – which means they will have been displayed for around nine weeks.

A WNC spokesperson said: “Dropping waste on the street or roadside is an illegal offence which can result in a fine of up to £1,000. Not only does it make our towns and communities look messy but it can cause harm to local wildlife.

“WNC is committed to working with partners to support community litter picks and takes enforcement action where necessary, but it is up to individuals to make the right decision and take their waste home or put it in a bin.

“25 road signs across the area will be displaying anti-littering messaging to encourage everyone to work together and help keep our areas clean and green. This will be in place until the end of May.”

The two variations of the message both start with ‘help keep our town tidy’. One ends with ‘bin your litter, other people do’, and the other ends with ‘put your litter in the bin’.

You are likely have spotted the signs across the town since the start of April, in areas such as Overstone Leys, Sunnyside, Boothville, Abington, Kingsley, Kingsthorpe, Hunsbury, Far Cotton, St James, Spencer, Dallington, Upton, the Town Centre, and along the A45 and M1.

As the screens are also used to share essential road traffic management updates, the anti-littering messages will only remain until the end of May to achieve a good balance.

‘We’d like to see it three or four times a year, eight weeks at a time’

Mark Watson, who has been a member of the Northants Litter Wombles for a year-and-a-half since he moved to the area, says he is “really pleased” with this outcome.

“It is an easy way to get the message across,” he told the Chronicle & Echo. “The infrastructure is already in place and there’s no extra cost. Most motorways have the signs up and it’s effective.”

Mark reiterated the importance of displaying anti-littering messages frequently enough to influence behaviour, but not too frequently that road users no longer pay attention to them.

He added: “Even if it causes 20 percent of people to change their behaviour, it’s worth it. They’re generally used for warning of traffic problems and it’s proven that the messaging is effective.”

Talking about the fact this will continue until the end of May, Mark said: “I think that’s just about right. If we have them there all the time, they’ll lose effectiveness.

“We first spoke to the council around a year ago and they were very helpful to us in putting them up. Last year they were displayed twice and we want to get it a bit more frequent.

“We’d like to see it three or four times a year, eight weeks at a time.”

The dedicated womble says the clearing of roads has three benefits – it makes motorists feel happier driving around the area, it will decrease the cost spent on hiring people to clear the litter, and it improves the safety of these contractors on busy roads.

“Seeing the signs gives volunteers a real boost,” said Mark. “They know they’re being supported and something is being done to educate people.”

He added that volunteers often question where their “back up” is, and what is being done to “assist with changing long-term behaviours”. This is a positive step forward in the eyes of the group.

If you would like to get involved in the Tidy Our Town campaign, established in collaboration with the Northants Litter Wombles, email [email protected].