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Major litter clean up on the Hog’s Back collects over a tonne of rubbish

Major litter clean up on the Hog’s Back collects over a tonne of rubbish

Guildford Borough Council has recently carried out a major litter-clearing operation along the A31, collecting more than a tonne of waste in three days.

Crews from the Council tackled a stretch of the Hog’s Back, close to Wanborough, focusing on the nearside verge and the central reservation of the A31. In total, 1,060kg of litter was removed from this section of road.

In addition to the manual litter pick, the team used a mechanical road sweeper to clear accumulated debris. This collected a further 6,340kg, helping to keep the route cleaner, safer and more pleasant for road users.

Supporting the Great British Spring Clean 2026

This clean-up coincides with the Great British Spring Clean 2026, which invites communities across the UK to join litter-picking events in their local areas.

The Council is proud to support this campaign and encourages residents, schools, businesses and community groups to get involved.

However, the Council is keen to remind volunteers not to pick up litter on busy roads. It can be dangerous, particularly in areas that require traffic management (such as lane closures).

Instead, residents are encouraged to choose safe locations such as parks, residential streets and open spaces. The Council recommends that:

  • you don’t litter pick on roads with a speed limit of more than 30mph
  • you don’t climb down into ditches to collect waste
  • you don’t litter pick on roads that have no pavement to walk along.

Always protect yourself by wearing gloves, reflective clothing and using suitable equipment.

How we can help

The Council offers support to anyone wishing to organise a safe community litter pick. This can include:

  • loaning litter-picking equipment
  • providing bags and gloves
  • arranging the collection of bagged waste from an agreed location
  • offering advice on choosing safe, appropriate sites for litter-picking

Anyone interested in organising a litter pick can visit the Council’s website for more information on how to do so.

Due to the pre-election period in Surrey beginning on the 23 March, we’re unable to provide any councillor quotes.


​ Press contact: Steven Toplis – e-mail Steven.Toplis@guildford.gov.uk