A MAJOR clean-up campaign of the roadside verges across Craven is due to start later this month.

Heavy snow meant the start of the clean-up, which will include most of the main roads in Craven, had to be put off from March until April 16.

Carried out by Craven District Council’s waste management team, it will take around eight weeks and will involve traffic management to ensure the safety of litter pickers.

Target areas are the A65, the A59, the A629, the A56, the A6068 and the B6265 in Craven.

Wyn Ashton, the council’s environmental services manager, said: “We had hoped to begin this work in March but due to the adverse weather, we will now be starting in April. We have also had to work with North Yorkshire County Council to create a rolling road closure programme.”

He added: “The schedule needs to be flexible to allow for unavoidable issues such as road closures or traffic issues, but we expect to tackle the work over a period of eight weeks. We know residents are keen for us to tackle the accumulation of litter on our road verges and we are equally keen to get on with it – but we need to ensure the safety of our crews.”

Teams will start the work on the A59 and the A56 west-bound from the Travelodge roundabout to the border in Thornton-in-Craven, and then east-bound on the A59 to the border at Kexgill Farm.

The third week of work will tackle the A629 from the Travelodge roundabout to the Cross Hills roundabout. Weeks four and five will address the A65 from the Travelodge roundabout to the border at West Houses.

In week six teams will litter-pick along the A6068 from the Dog and Gun Pub in Sutton to the border at Sandyforth Farm, and the Old Colne Road from Sixpenny Syke Farm to the border at Black Lane Ends Pub.

Week seven will cover the B6265 from the Grassington roundabout to the Grassington turn off. Some work may spill over into an eighth week depending on any delays.

If groups would like to organise or take part in a litter-pick event or community clean-up, Craven District Council can help by providing free refuse sacks, gloves, litter-pickers and free collection of the rubbish.

Contact waste management on 01756 700600, or email wastemanagement@cravendc.gov.uk for more information.