Drivers tracked by AI cameras face fines for dropping litter on Scotland's roads
Trial of technology launched on Edinburgh City Bypass and A1
Drivers who drop litter on Scotland’s roads are to be fined under plans to deploy AI software to catch offenders in the act.
A trial using LitterCam detection equipment linked to CCTV cameras was launched on Monday on the Edinburgh City Bypass and A1 - and could could cut roadside litter by 40 per cent.
The move follows 15 tonnes of litter- more than 3,000 bags - being collected on the bypass alone last year. A total of 122 bags were gathered on a mile-long section of the A1 near Dunbar on a single day in April.
The cost of the £15,000 AI trial, which will continue to March, is expected to be offset by savings in the cost of litter picking, which can require roads to be closed.
A consultation is expected to start within weeks over the introduction of fines, which could come into force in April. The scale of penalties will be considered as part of a consultation.
BEAR Scotland, which maintains the two trunk roads for the Scottish Government’s Transport Scotland agency, said the trial will measure how much litter is being dropped from vehicles, and where and when it is most likely to happen.
If the system detects what appears to be litter being thrown from a vehicle, it automatically retains 15 seconds of footage both before and after the incident.
Tommy Deans, BEAR Scotland’s south east network manager, said: “Scotland is renowned for its natural beauty, yet the amount of litter discarded on these major routes is an eyesore and an embarrassment.
“Littering is against the law. This trial uses the latest technology to record incidents of littering.
“It is hoped the project will prompt people to think twice about committing this anti-social behaviour.
“Working on high-speed roads comes with risk but the risks during litter picking could be completely avoided if drivers and passengers took litter home.
“The resources invested in picking litter could be ploughed into other tasks that contribute to keeping these strategic routes safe and reliable.”
LitterCam chief executive Andrew Kemp said: “On projects we’ve worked on elsewhere, we’ve seen a 40 per cent reduction in verge side litter.
“We are confident that working with Transport Scotland and BEAR Scotland will help tackle the blight of litter on these strategic routes."
Heather McLaughlin, campaigns manager at Keep Scotland Beautiful, said that nine in ten people thought litter was an issue.
She said: “Roadside litter is not only dangerous for drivers, wildlife and those who have to clean it up, but it also has a financial cost. We all have a part to play: give your litter a lift or take it home.”
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “We are only using LitterCam AI to measure the prevalence of roadside littering.
“The regulations for fining the registered keepers of vehicles for litter being thrown from a vehicle have yet to be enacted.
“They are expected to go out for consultation this month and potentially come into force in April, depending upon the Parliamentary timetable. Fine levels will be considered as part of that process.”
The trial follows tests on an 18-mile section of the M74 between Glasgow and Larkhall in South Lanarkshire four years ago.