Let's clear up the litter
From Dan delaMare-Lyon
I'VE lived in Newmarket for over a year now and during this time have noticed an ever increasing problem broken glass and discarded drinks cans.
It seems that no matter how much the council clean up litter, the amount of broken glass covering our paths never decreases. Who contributes to this?
The thoughtless people that smash their empties get their bottles from somewhere. The people that just drop their cans on the ground too. Surely the nightclubs will leap to their defence and say it's not them, likewise with the pubs and off-licences, but it still appears, and is notably worse after the weekend.
It's made much worse since it appears to be standard practice for the grass mowers not to pick up litter, preferring to roll over it. This means that grass and pathways become littered with tiny fragments of broken bottles and razor sharp shards of tin cans.
On several occasions my wife and I have been caused injury by fragments of shattered glass/shredded tin can, and being dog owners, have to watch the paths and grass every inch of our regular walks to ensure the safety of our pets. We know of many dogs injured by remnants left behind by the inconsiderate bunch who litter, especially on areas such as the playing field next to Houldsworth Valley Primary School.
Surely the council could come up with a plan to help reduce or eliminate these dangers? I appreciate the regular street sweeping that they provide and the regular efforts to clean up the litter, but surely the broken glass and shredded tin cans actually present a danger to the public, whereas a chip wrapper is just unsightly.
One idea might be to ask local businesses to contribute to the cost of cleaning Newmarket up? Newmarket is a nice place and with just a little thought and effort, it could be so much nicer.