Horrendous roadside litter - worse than ever before?

[Ray Luxury-Yacht]

I've been riding / driving for over 25 years now. I'm used to seeing a bit of roadside litter over the years. I'm also used to often seeing the litter - picking teams out collecting it, from minor roads to motorways. The amount of litter always used to be quite small, and not something that you'd really notice.

However - recently it seems to have suddenly got worse. And I don't mean 'a bit worse' - I mean properly unacceptable!

I live on the South Coast, and I started noticing it around my local roads and my local section of motorway, towards the end of last year. There is definitely way more than I can ever remember.

Then last week I had to drive up to Newbury, up the A34. Well Jesus Christ, the A34 is an absolute disgrace, from Hampshire right up to Newbury. The amount of roadside and central reservation litter is so bad, it basically kept my attention for the entire journey!

Firstly - does anyone know why this might be? More local council cutbacks? Then again, aren't roads looked after by local councils, county councils and the Highways Agency depending upon what they are? The problem seems to be uniform, everywhere.

Anyone else noticed or am I just going mental?