ALL ABOARD FOR THE CLEAN-UP EXPRESS!
Network Rail gets Great British Spring Clean on track with 41,000 staff on hand to help and a £2m cash boost
NETWORK Rail has provided a huge boost to the Great British Spring Clean campaign by pledging to get all its 41,000 employees involved.
The firm, which owns and manages most of Britain’s railway network, says litter, fly-tipping and graffiti can cause safety problems and delays for passengers.
All staff are being offered volunteer days to join litter-picks in their communities, while bosses are promising up to £2million for extra clean-ups and prevention in the worst-hit areas.
Network Rail chief executive Andrew Haines told the Daily Mail, which is backing the campaign run by Keep Britain Tidy, that litter is a ‘disgrace’ to our railways and said the company is ‘determined’ to tackle it.
The pledge now brings the total number of volunteers up to 665,943, with 18,020 litter-pick events organised across the country.
Litter is a huge problem for the railways, as it can attract rats that chew on cables, leading to signal failures, delays and accidents. Discarded metal cans and foil have also been known to cause short circuits.
each year, Network Rail spends £3.5million removing graffiti.
The firm’s £2million pledge will be targeted on bigger clean-ups and preventative measures. There is now less than a week to go before the Great British Spring Clean kicks off on March 20. It runs until April 13.
In light of coronavirus, Keep Britain Tidy advises volunteers not to attend a clean-up if they are suffering cold or flu-like symptoms. It also urges participants to wear gloves and stay three steps away from others.