THOUSANDS of pounds of tax payers money has been spent clearing nearly two tonnes of rubbish from the side of the Spur Road.

Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP) and Bournemouth Council spent five nights - two more than expected - to clear the five-mile stretch of the A338 between Ashley Heath roundabout and Blackwater junction earlier this month.

In total it cost DWP £10,000 to remove the 1.8tonnes of rubbish, which included car tyres, electrical goods, and six discarded television sets.

A third of it was recycled.

Steve Burdis, director of the Dorset Waste Partnership, said: “The recent scale of litter and indiscriminate dumping on the A338 highlights the true cost to taxpayers of dealing with a minority's lack of care for our environment.

“Cleaning major roads like the A338 is dangerous work that requires safety measures to protect road-users and our workforce.

“This is both disruptive and expensive, meaning that we limit our litter-picking on these roads to twice a year on average.

“We are committed to tackling the problem on other key routes, which are also in a poor state. But it would not cost as much if everyone took responsibility for their waste.”

The operation comes after the Daily Echo found cannabis factory equipment dumped on the side of the dual carriageway last month.

Heat lamps, hundreds of plant pots, fertilizer and chemical containers were discovered sprawled across a stream next to a layby on the northbound side of the dual carriageway.

Larry Austin, Bournemouth Borough Council strategic operations manager, added: “The council has an excellent working relationship with the Dorset Waste Partnership and was happy to assist with this clean-up work on the A338, which also serves as the main approach road into Bournemouth.

“From the dumped items we cleared it is apparent that many people still have complete disregard for the way they dispose of litter and waste, meaning expensive costs for the taxpayer in clean-up fees and staff having to work in a dangerous environment to carry out the work.

“We would encourage anyone witnessing fly-tipping to report it to their local council.”

The work was done between 8pm and 6am to minimise disruption to motorists.

The DWP is also working with neighbouring councils and the Highways Agency to clean up other key routes, including the A31 and A35, before the holiday season gets underway.