We pick up litter including human waste one day and its back the next

"Changing behaviours on littering is our biggest challenge". This was the message from Freda Rashdi, Head of Customer Journeys for National Highways, when Peter Haddock caught up with her at Highways UK in our specially designed studio on the Leica Geosystems stand.

Freda: "As National Highways, we have to grade our network for litter, and this inspection process and manual litter picking takes up a huge amount of resources, particularly in hotspots like the slip roads of motorway junctions.

"As well as using simple proven deterrents like signage, we are now digitalising the grading process and using technology to manage our resources effectively whilst also using cameras to capture those that litter.

"In addition, we are trialling geofencing technology in laybys to ping drivers, letting them know if a bin is available or asking them to take their litter home. We also share the success and learning of these different approaches with local authorities and work closely with organisations like Keep Britain Tidy and the RSPCA.

"Your viewers might have seen our new approach of installing different bins with targets inside them outside service stations at the height of an HGV or a car. This has made a dramatic impact as previously drivers  would throw litter from takeaway food onto the side."

Peter added: "As Freda explained to me, the types of litter also have a big impact, with Cigarette buts in particular proving both harmful to wildlife and difficult to pick up. But finding out about the level of human waste that pickers have to deal with really disgusted me.

"So I hope the industry can come together and support National Highways with new ideas like drones or Mobile Mapping to cut down inspection times and camera technologies to capture litterers.

"All of this will support the individual pickers whose job it is to remove litter, which we should all take home with us in the first place."