Litter on the Regent’s Canal towpath

CAMPAIGNERS are gearing up to fight back against the “appalling” level of litter on Islington’s canals that they say is caused by a decision to remove all bins.

Cleaner Canals have launched their campaign on Instagram, and are encouraging residents to write to MP Emily Thornberry, after they say litter has turned “a beautiful area into a dumping ground”.

Oliver Mosley, a campaigner for the group, said: “Despite receiving £50million of taxpayers’ money annually, the Canal and River Trust have decided to remove bins from our canals in Islington, resulting in appalling levels of waste which are an eyesore and a threat to the wildlife. Meanwhile they insult everyone’s intelligence by claiming that providing bins has no impact on the levels of rubbish dumped by the waterside.”

In a letter to campaigners, the CRT said there was no “direct correlation between bin provision and litter levels” and that the lack of bins was intended to encourage people to bring their rubbish home with them.

But Mr Mosley said: “We all have a responsibility not to litter but the Canal and River Trust need to play their part. That is why we have set up the Cleaner Canals Campaign to demand the Canal and River Trust put bins back on our towpaths and get litter back under control.”

Ian Shacklock, chair of the Friends of Regent’s Canal, said that the bigger problem was a lack of signage. “There should be a sign saying ‘please take your litter home’ and that there are no bins,” he told the Tribune. “Then people can’t say they didn’t know.”

He added that the “cash-strapped” CRT ended up being “villainised” for the levels of litter, which are not generated by the canal, and that they were in desperate need of more funding.

Mr Shacklock said: “There’s reservoirs drying up, landslides, and all sorts of problems – £50m is not enough.

“They have permanent staff and those members have to do everything. They don’t have dedicated litter pickers, and what staff do on a shift is all event-driven. If lock gates are broken, then staff have to sort out that rather than pick up litter.”

The CRT said: “Canals provide a piece of countryside in some of our most urban environments. In the countryside we are asked to leave nothing but footprints, and so our Towpath Code also asks visitors to take their litter home.

“Providing bins in London and the south- east alone was costing our charity around £250,000 of scarce funds every year, at a time when we face a real-terms cut to our grant from Defra of £300million over 10 years. Following a trial on the Lee and Stort Navigations, which resulted in less rubbish on towpaths, we removed almost all of our remaining bins two years ago.

“The money we have saved on servicing bins has been reinvested in proactive and reactive litter picking and fly-tipping clearance, while our charity’s amazing Towpath Taskforce volunteers continue to clear up other people’s mess. We welcome those who want to join us in keeping our spaces alive for everyone.”