Dunmail Road - litter strewn

Description: There is persistent and ingrained litter along the grass verge and adjacent footway on Dunmail Road. This includes food packaging, plastics and general refuse embedded within vegetation and soil, indicating long-term under-servicing rather than a one-off incident. The litter is not loose surface waste that can be addressed by routine sweeping alone; it is embedded within the verge and hedge line and requires manual removal or a targeted deep clean. This route is regularly used by pedestrians and forms part of the wider neighbourhood walking network. The cumulative effect is environmental degradation, visual blight and increased risk of vermin. Why this needs action (statutory and policy basis): • Under Sections 87–89 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, Bristol City Council has a duty to ensure that land under its control, including highways, verges and footways, is kept clear of litter and refuse. • The duty extends to persistent and ingrained litter, not merely recent deposits (as reinforced by the DEFRA Code of Practice on Litter and Refuse). • Under Section 130 of the Highways Act 1980, the Council must protect the public’s right to safe and unobstructed passage on the highway, which includes maintaining adjoining verges where neglect affects use or safety. • Bristol City Council’s Street Cleansing Service Standards commit to proportionate intervention where routine mechanical sweeping is insufficient. • Failure to address ingrained litter contributes to repeat dumping and undermines wider environmental improvement efforts in areas already under pressure. Requested action: • A targeted manual litter pick / deep clean of the grass verge and hedge line along the full length of Dunmail Road • Removal of embedded waste rather than superficial sweeping • Review of cleansing frequency or method for this road to prevent recurrence Additional context: This condition has clearly developed over time and reflects a pattern of environmental neglect rather than isolated behaviour. Addressing it supports public health, civic pride and basic standards of neighbourhood stewardship.