Tunstall Hope Road closed for second major clean-up as litter levels quadruple
Tunstall Hope Road in Sunderland was temporarily closed on Wednesday 4 February to allow Sunderland City Council's Environmental Services team to carry out a large-scale litter pick and verge tidy, following a sharp rise in waste being thrown from passing vehicles.
This is the second time within the past year that the road has had to be closed for this reason, with the previous clean-up taking place in May 2025. During that operation, crews collected 25 bags of rubbish. This time, the amount of waste has increased to 105 bags, requiring support from additional Local Services teams to complete the clean‑up.
The waste collected included beer and lager cans, energy drink cans, glass bottles and disposable vapes. As well as takeaway food cartons and coffee cups.
The closure also came at a significant cost. The total cost for the day's closure, including traffic management, staffing and equipment, was £4,658.24. A further disposal cost will be added once the final waste tonnage has been confirmed.
Councillor Lindsey Leonard, Portfolio Holder for Environment, Net Zero and Transport at Sunderland City Council, said: "We're asking everyone to do their bit to help keep our city clean by taking their rubbish home rather than throwing it from car windows. Car littering not only damages our environment but creates safety risks and diverts significant resources that could be used elsewhere."
"We need residents' help to crack down on car littering. If you see someone throwing rubbish from a vehicle, please report it. Where we have sufficient evidence, the registered keeper of the vehicle can be issued with a £150 civil penalty, even if they were not the person who threw the litter. If that penalty is not paid within 28 days, it increases to £300. Together we can help keep Sunderland free from rubbish."
Residents who witness car littering can report incidents with dashcam footage or photographic evidence at: www.sunderland.gov.uk/car-littering
