New spin on tackling litter on Anglesey as cyclists help to tidy hard-to-reach areas

Keep Wales Tidy have teamed up with keen Anglesey cyclists for a new spin on tackling litter called ‘Pedal and Pick’.

Running for a six-week period starting in August, it will see a group of local volunteer cyclists tackle harder to reach paths and side roads along the coast, which is often hit badly with litter from surrounding fast food restaurants and passing cars.

40kg cargo trailers will be attached to the rear of the bikes and will be used to store litter collected during their journeys.

Foldable litter pickers will also be used, allowing the cyclists to stop along their ride safely before picking up the litter and continuing on their ride.

Keep Wales Tidy Project Officer Gareth Evans said: “We want to raise awareness and understanding that litter dropped on coastal paths and side roads along the beautiful Anglesey coast has a significant impact on our environment and wildlife.

“We hope that Pedal and Pick will be a great way of tackling litter in these areas, and pave the way for different methods of approaching the issue.”

Pedal and Pick is being run by Keep Wales Tidy as part of their Caru Cymru initiative.

Caru Cymru (a Welsh phrase meaning ‘Love Wales’) is an inclusive movement led by Keep Wales Tidy and local authority partners to eradicate litter and waste.

Keep Wales Tidy are also calling on drivers to keep their conscience and our roadsides clear as part of a national roadside litter campaign ‘Drive your litter home’.

As part of the Wales-wide campaign, outdoor advertising is targeting roadside litter hotspots such as roadside billboards, back of buses and petrol pump adverts.

This also includes radio and digital audio advertising to target drivers listening to their favourite channels until the end of August 2022.

Caru Cymru has received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government.