Anti-litter campaign in Banbury urges residents to be proud of their town

Cllr Phillips (left) and Cllr Mallon are standing next to a lorry load of items pulled from the River Cherwell in Banbury.

The new campaign which went live today (Tuesday August 16) comes after town council discussions about the amount of rubbish dumped in the streets and parks of the town.

Posters advertising the initiative have been displayed around the town and the council is planning a series of events that aims to make Banbury a tidier place.

The first clean-up session will be a massive litter pick on Saturday September 3 and local residents are being asked to turn out to help remove rubbish from the streets and parks.

The litter-picking event on September 3 will see volunteers from schools, businesses, and other organisations plus individuals split into groups. From 10 AM until 1 PM, starting at the town hall, the volunteers will litter-pick the following routes:

1. Bridge Street, Moorfields Park

2. Bridge Street Park, Spiceball Park

3. Market Place, Bolton Road, Castle Street, St Mary’s Churchyard

4. High Street, Calthorpe Street, Banbury Cross, Peoples Park

The new anti-litter campaign follows from a recent town council meeting when a ‘tidy-up’ motion received unanimous support from the town councillors.

The motion said: “The minimisation of litter around Banbury is desirable for all residents and visitors. Rubbish plagues the town’s streets because people continue to drop their waste instead of using litter bins.”

Leader of the council Kieron Mallon said: “Banbury is a very attractive town but some areas, including parks, are often spoiled by litter. It takes very little effort to use the bins – and the result will be a better town in which to live, work, play and shop.”

Cllr Martin Phillips, chairman of the council’s general services committee which will oversee the new campaign, said: “Banbury has always attracted tourists and we want them to see the town at its best. Litter-free streets are also more appealing to the people who live here and so we’re asking everyone to show some pride in their town and keep it tidy.”

For more information on the clean-up events, visit the Banbury Town Council events Facebook.