Peak District litter problems are 'getting worse'

A man who litter picks at a Peak District beauty spot has called on people to take responsibility for their rubbish.

Shaun Broughton, from Stocksbridge near Sheffield, collected 72 bags of dog mess alone during a recent visit to Ladybower Reservoir in Derbyshire.

He believes more walkers think it is acceptable to leave their mess at their site due to the amount of litter in the area and said the problem has got worse over the last 18 months.

The issue has also been raised in the village of Castleton where a community group is now appealing for people to report cases of litter and has called on authorities to unite to tackle the problem.

Mr Broughton told BBC Radio Derby: "People point the finger of blame at young people, at old people, at people who have just started coming out (to the countryside) as Covid hikers - but it is everyone.

"It is getting that bad that people see it (rubbish) on the floor and think 'why should I bother carrying mine home?'."

He brings bin bags with him and wears gloves as he walks a route of around three miles around the banks of the reservoir and up on Win Hill.

Around six miles away, a community group called 'Concerned for Castleton' is monitoring instances of littering.

It wants people to post photos of litter they spot on its Facebook page.

Sue Speed, from the group, feels councils and the Peak District National Park Authority need to draw up a 'visitor plan' to look at how the environmental impact of visitors to the area could be managed.

She added: "It is easy for people to post on sites saying 'this is horrendous, this shouldn't be happening', but it seems very difficult to report to the right people."

Last May, the group started recording the number of littering cases and so far it has received 100 reports of this happening.

A spokesperson for the Peak District National Park Authority said it regularly conducts litter picks in car parks, estates and trails.

"Our message for everyone visiting the national park is to please take home what you bring," the spokesperson added.

"Management of litter bins is a costly activity and on our own properties alone, which represent just a small proportion of the Peak District, this is around the same as the cost of paying a national park ranger for a year.

"We also have dozens of dedicated volunteers and staff who are regularly litter-picking across our facilities network, rural estates and popular routes such as the Monsal Trail."

A Derbyshire County Council spokesperson said: "There is no excuse for anyone to litter, in Castleton or anywhere else.

"We'd appeal to everyone who visits the area to use the bins provided by High Peak Borough Council, or take their rubbish back home."

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