Teams collected 2.4 tonnes of litter from the A45 during 12 night-time shifts in August and September. They filled 420 sacks with roadside waste including food wrappers, plastic bottles and cigarette packets.
The clearance used overnight closures already in place for repair and maintenance work by National Highways. This eliminated the need for separate road closures solely for litter removal.
Using existing closures for safer, efficient working
Accessing roadside areas safely on busy roads like the A45 requires careful planning. The overnight closures for repair work created controlled conditions that allowed litter clearance to take place at the same time.
Working along verges, slip roads, central reservations and nearside/offside areas, crews removed waste without additional disruption to traffic.
Collaboration across agencies
North Northamptonshire Council partnered with National Highways and contractor Amey for this operation. Combining local authority input with ongoing Highways maintenance activities made efficient use of resources and road space.
Clearing key sections between Wilby Way and Raunds
The clean-up covered multiple sections of the A45 corridor, including hard-to-reach areas where waste builds up. The operation tackled all types of roadside litter impacting the carriageway environment.
Maximising road space during maintenance
Road closures represent a limited window to access carriageway edges safely. Completing multiple tasks within the same closure allows teams to reduce the number of separate traffic management setups needed.
For busy A-roads and motorways, where traffic volumes and speeds pose challenges, this approach minimises disruption to drivers and saves contractors time and costs.
Practical benefits for drivers and asset managers
Sections of the A45 are visibly cleaner after removal of this substantial volume of waste. Drivers benefit from improved roadside environment and reduced hazards from litter.
North Northamptonshire Council and National Highways continue to explore opportunities to carry out similar joint clearances on the A45 and A14.
The operation highlights a less visible but necessary part of highway upkeep. Beyond surfacing and structural repairs, routine litter clearance contributes to keeping corridors safe and tidy.
Using existing traffic management for additional maintenance tasks is a practical method to get more done within constrained road space on busy routes.
