LITTER PICKERS have raised concerns about alcohol and human waste left in a Monkspath layby.
Monkspath Litter Heroes collected around 30 bags of rubbish in an hour on Saturday (March 9) on Radway Road.
The group started collecting along the stretch of road in January which litter pickers say is used by lorry drivers overnight.
A community litter picker, who did not wish to be named, said: “Our main concern is the sheer amount of vodka bottles, bottles filled with urine and even human excrement.
“Nearly all of the litter is from lorry drivers who park up here over night.
“We find so many bottles filled with urine and some of the litter is also thrown from cars.
“This road could be done daily and still fill 30 bags.”
The group was set up around three months ago after residents from Monkspath and Hillfield joined forces with Love Solihull in a bid to keep their community tidy.
Chair of Talking Rubbish in Solihull, Chris Dunster, said: “On Radway Road in particular the specific issue of bottles of urine is caused by the truck drivers sleeping roadside overnight.
“Some of the truckers cannot afford the official truck stop charges and as their cabs don’t have facilities they improvise.
“It’s avoidable if they emptied the bottles out but this is a nationwide issue so a lot of re-education is needed.
“The main concern is the bio-hazard caused by this filthy litter.
“There is a chance that a bottle could leak or explode on a litter picker which would be very unpleasant.”
She added a simple solution would be to make truck stops free for all truckers to use and get the companies, producers and retailers to pay for the truck stops.
Chris added: ” I’m sure it is not that straight-forward but in my idealistic world this would be the solution.
“Or maybe install roadside urinals like they have on the continent.
“The only downside of that is that they’d still have to ‘go’.”
