The Love Our Laybys campaign aims to challenge those who leave litter behind and remind visitors and residents that keeping Herefordshire’s countryside clean is everyone’s responsibility.

The campaign follows ongoing issues with litter being left in laybys across the county. The Council’s Streetscene team and community volunteers regularly carry out clean-ups and have found a wide range of waste, including discarded bottles containing urine, alongside food packaging, drinks containers, takeaway waste and other roadside litter.

Cleansing teams have also reported finding other unpleasant and hazardous waste left behind in laybys, creating additional challenges for those responsible for keeping these areas clean and safe.

 

 

Keeping Herefordshire’s laybys clean

Each year, Herefordshire Council and its partners carry out regular cleaning and maintenance of roadside areas, including lay-bys across the county:

• Clean-up services undertaken by the Council includes regular litter picking, bin emptying and fly tipping removal.
• The county is inspected routinely by Locality Stewards and Streetscene officers.
• There are approximately 500 laybys across the county, several of which are frequently littered and fly tipped in.
• Council officers work with its Public Realm Contractor, M Group, to keep Herefordshire clean and tidy. Officers work closely with enforcement officers to bring about prosecutions wherever possible. 
• Volunteers typically use the Facebook group ‘Hereford Community Clean Up Group’ to communicate with fellow volunteers and post about litter picking events.
• Members of the public can sign up to litter pick their areas, the Council will provide volunteers with the kit they need to get started, for more information please visit the Council's website. 

This work helps keep the county’s roadsides safe, attractive and welcoming, but teams continue to spend significant time removing waste that has been deliberately left behind.

New signs are being installed at selected laybys using a bold and attention-grabbing approach to highlight the impact of littering and encourage people to take responsibility for their waste. The signs include a clear warning that littering is an offence and that enforcement activity, including surveillance operations, are taking place.

Herefordshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Roads and Regulatory Services, Councillor Barry Durkin, was joined at the launch of the Love Our Laybys campaign by the Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for the Environment and Culture, Cllr Elissa Swinglehurst, Cllr Toni Fagan and Kim Saer from the Hereford Community Clean Up Group.

Cllr Barry Durkin, said:

“Most people who use Herefordshire’s roads take pride in the county and dispose of their waste responsibly. Unfortunately, a minority continue to treat our laybys and countryside as a dumping ground.

“The message behind this campaign is simple: take your waste home with you. Our teams and volunteers should not have to spend time clearing up litter that has been deliberately left behind.

“Some of the items found during clean-ups are particularly unpleasant and show the lack of thought behind this behaviour. Street Cleansing teams should not be put in the position of having to deal with waste that has been irresponsibly discarded by others.

“We know these signs are bold, but the problem requires a bold response. We want them to make people stop, think and change their behaviour. Alongside the campaign, we will continue targeted clean-ups and enforcement activity to tackle those who choose to ignore their responsibilities.”

Littering is an offence

Leaving litter in a layby or anywhere else in the countryside is an offence. 

In England, the maximum fixed penalty notice (FPN) for fly-tipping is £5,000, following legislation announced in July 2026 and coming into force from September 2026.

However, for serious cases prosecuted in court, the penalties are much higher. Magistrates' Court: fines of up to £50,000 and/or imprisonment. Crown Court: unlimited fine and/or up to 5 years' imprisonment. Vehicles used in fly-tipping can also be seized and confiscated

The Council is carrying out targeted enforcement activity alongside the Love Our Lay-bys campaign, using a combination of patrols, surveillance and investigations to identify those responsible for littering.

How everyone can help

People using Herefordshire’s roads are being encouraged to plan ahead and take responsibility for their waste:

• Prepare before you travel – take a bag with you for any rubbish you create during your journey.
• Use facilities when available – dispose of waste in a bin where one is provided, or take it home if bins are full.
• Avoid unnecessary stops – plan your journey and use appropriate service areas where facilities are available.
• Keep bottles and packaging with you – never leave waste, including food packaging, drinks containers or bottles, at the roadside.
• Encourage others to do the same – keeping Herefordshire clean is everyone’s responsibility.

The Love Our Laybys campaign will be supported by ongoing work from Council teams and community volunteers to keep roadside areas clean and protect Herefordshire’s environment.

Residents can report litter and environmental issues through the Council’s website.