Trunk Road Litter Management Responsibilities A82, A83, A85, A828
Argyll and Bute Council · 11 September 2025
Back to Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee — 11 September 2025 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 11 SEPTEMBER 2025 TRUNK ROAD LITTER MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES A82, A83, A85, A828 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1 This report has been drafted following correspondence received from East Lothian Council seeking support from COSLA and other local authorities with truck roads within their areas for a national review of trunk road litter management responsibilities. This report recommends that Argyll and Bute Council support the concept of a national review. 1.2 It is recommended that Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:- a) Agree that the Chief Executive writes to Scottish Ministers requesting a review of litter management responsibilities for the trunk roads within Argyll and Bute (A82, A83, A85, A828) b) Agree that the Chief Executive confirms to those other local authorities with trunk road litter management responsibilities and COSLA that Argyll and Bute Council support the proposal initially raised by East Lothian Council that there should be a review of litter management responsibilities for trunk roads across Scotland.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE 11 September 2025 TRUNK ROAD LITTER MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES A82, A83, A85, A828 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1 This report has been drafted following correspondence received from East Lothian Council seeking support from COSLA and other local authorities with truck roads within their areas for a national review of trunk road litter management responsibilities. 2.2 East Lothian Council, at it’s meeting on 29th April 2025, agreed recommendations in relation to the trunk road within their area as follows: 1) That the Chief Executive writes to Scottish Ministers requesting a review of litter management responsibilities for the full section of the A1 and a move towards consistency with areas part of the special roads order to allow the Council to focus resources on population centres, local road network and area of ownership/responsibility. 2) That the Chief Executive writes to other local authorities with trunk road litter management responsibilities and COSLA, providing information on the local context and seeking support for the requested review. 2.3 In response to the request from the Chief Executive of East Lothian Council that Argyll and Bute consider supporting the request for a national review of trunk litter management responsibilities officers have considered the issues and are now seeking Member support to the recommendations set out this report. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1 It is recommended that Members of the Environment, Development and Infrastructure Committee:- a) Agree that the Chief Executive writes to Scottish Ministers requesting a review of litter management responsibilities for the trunk roads within Argyll and Bute (A82, A83, A85, A828)
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b) Agree that the Chief Executive confirms to those other local authorities with trunk road litter management responsibilities and COSLA that Argyll and Bute Council support the proposal initially raised by East Lothian Council that there should be a review of litter management responsibilities for trunk roads across Scotland. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1 Council resource relating to cleansing and litter management is contained within the Operations, Roads and Infrastructure Services budgets. There is no specific allocation of budget explicitly for litter prevention or collection along the trunk road network. Litter is not caused by the Council but by the behaviour of individuals. This contributes to the pressures on local services. 4.2 Cleansing and litter picking services prioritise areas based on the factors identified in the Act with a focus on population centres and areas of highest footfall. 4.3 Due to the speed and volume of traffic litter picking at the side of trunk roads presents a generally higher level of safety risk to Council staff than does litter picking at the side of Council managed roads, many of which have slower average traffic speeds and where litter picking is almost entirely focused on the points that these roads travel through centres of population. As a consequence the measures required to ensure the safety of Council staff during these activities are more costly. As the Council only undertakes litter picking and not any other maintenance activities it is not often possible to co- ordinate litter picking with other maintenance activities that could be done jointly under one set of traffic management and thereby increase the efficiency and cost effectiveness of the operations overall. 4.4 A national review of litter picking responsibilities in relation to trunk roads would create the opportunity to consider whether the current approach whereby local Councils undertake this duty offers the best value for money overall to the public purse. Or whether transferring this duty to the companies contracted by Transport Scotland to manage and maintain the truck road network could offer improved efficiencies while also enabling Councils to focus our available resources on local priorities. 4.5 The Council has received correspondence that demonstrates at least one other Council, Dumfries and Galloway, have written to Scottish Ministers supporting a request for a national review of litter picking responsibilities in relation to trunk roads.
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5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1 This Report seeks to approval to request of Scottish Ministers a national review of duties in relation to litter picking at trunk roads. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1 Policy – The recommendations in this report aim to support the Council to better fulfil duties under the Environmental Protection Act 1990: Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse (CoPLAR). 6.2 Financial – The recommendations in this report are unlikely to lead to budget savings. 6.3 Legal – Any legal implications would be required to be considered as part of the proposed national review. 6.4 HR – None identified at this time. 6.5 Customer service – None identified at this time. 6.6 Risk – None identified at this time. 6.7 Climate change – None identified at this time. 6.8 Fairer Scotland Duty - None identified at this time. 6.9 Equalities: protected characteristics – None identified at this time. 6.10 Consumer duty – None identified at this time. 6.11 Island communities – None identified at this time. 6.12 Children’s Rights and Wellbeing – None arising directly from this report. Kirsty Flanagan, Executive Director with responsibility for Roads and Infrastructure Councillor John Armour, Policy Lead for Roads, Transport and Amenity Services June 2025 For further information contact: Andy Summers, Head of Roads and Infrastructure Service Andy.Summers@argyll-bute.gov.uk Appendix 1 – Letter from East Lothian Council to Cabinet Secretary for Transport