COUNCIL chiefs are banding together to cut down roadside litter after guideline changes led to complaints of mounting rubbish.

The A34 and A303 were left noticeably dirtier in spring after severe vegetation cuts and new safety regulations for high-speed roads.

A series of fatal accidents nationwide led to a raft of new rules for litterpickers, from marked vehicles and signage to lane closures.

Winchester City Council apologised for the delayed clean-up in March, but is now coordinating with other authorities and agencies to get back on track.

A clean-up is underway on the A34 and A303, while other routes in the district have already been cleared after extra resources were drafted in.

“Sadly, completed roads are already experiencing further littering,” a city council spokesman said. “The council will be working on an education campaign to try to tackle the root cause of the problem which in most cases is motorists throwing items out of cars.”

He added: “The position will soon be ‘business as usual’ with roads subject to routine litter-picking and appropriate contract monitoring arrangements in place in order to ensure that the work is completed satisfactorily.”

The council has promised closer links with its litter clearing partners: Hampshire County Council, the Highways Agency and contractors the Landscape Group.