PILES of roadside litter flung out of windows onto grass verges by lazy road users has prompted a new anti-litter campaign to reduce the 2.7 tonnes of rubbish that is currently being found along every mile of the A31.

The major trunk road that runs between Hampshire and Dorset may travel through some of the most beautiful countryside in the area but it is also home to a massive 39 tonnes of rubbish discarded by vehicle-users.

As part of an effort to combat the rising problem, the Highways Agency decided to launch their “Bag It and Bin It” campaign at Moors Valley Country Park in Ashley Heath, handing out thousands of recycled paper bags to visitors throughout the day.

The anti-litter campaign, which is being run with East Dorset and New Forest district councils, wants to increase people’s awareness of issue while urging them to recycle what they can when they get home.

James Wright, spokesperson for the Highways Agency, said: “We’re hoping we can get people into the mindset of taking their rubbish home with them and recycling it in the right way or disposing of it responsibly.

“The truth is that the money spent on dealing with the problem of litter could be better spent on improving the state of our roads. It’s a difficult problem.”

Gemma Coles, waste reduction manager at East Dorset council, said: “We’ve found absolutely everything you could think of, including full bin bags and needles during our litter picks.

“Not only is it bad for the environment but it looks awful for visitors.

“We just want to encourage people to stop dropping their rubbish and start taking responsibility for the area they are living or visiting.”

The anti-litter team will also be at Ringwood’s Furlong Centre on August 26.

l A beach clean by Surfers Against Sewage and the Barefoot wine’s “Making Beaches Barefoot Friendly” tour picked up 65kg of litter from Bournemouth beach at the end of July.