A mass litter-pick and wildflower planting is taking place on one of the region’s major roads this weekend.
North Lincolnshire Council staff and dozens of volunteers are joining forces to clean up Mortal Ash Hill – the A18 – and turn it into a wildflower haven.
They will be collecting litter from verges and lay-bys, sweeping the carriageway and cleaning gullies.
Land will also be prepared for the planting of 20,000 square metres of wildflower seed.
The seeds will not only create a beautiful wildflower display along the road but attract wildlife and pollinating insects, particularly bees and butterflies.
Wild plants thrive in nutrient-poor, undisturbed soil, making the verges around Mortal Ash Hill ideal habitats which will also attract small mammals.
The scheme is part of the council’s ongoing commitment to enhance the local environment, particularly the main arterial routes into Scunthorpe.
The council currently spends almost £1m of taxpayers’ cash every year cleaning up after other people. This keeps the streets across the county clean and tidy to ensure people are kept safe and well.
As many people as are safely possible are taking part in the conservation operation in order to complete the work in a short space of time and minimise disruption to drivers.
The work will begin at 9.30am on Saturday 17 April at the top of Mortal Ash Hill on the Forest Pines roundabout and along the single-carriageway stretch of the road.
To ensure the safety of everyone on site a traffic light system will be in operation in this area on Saturday 17 April, from 9.30am to 3.30pm.
Work will take place on the dual carriageway section on Monday 19 April, Tuesday 20 April and Wednesday 21 April, between 9.30am and 3.30pm.
This will mean the temporary reduction from dual to a single carriageway on sections of the road, ensuring traffic is free-flowing but with lane reductions. Motorists are advised to follow directions and plan extra time for their journeys.
