SIR – I was following a WasteAware lorry at 8.30am on Friday March 26 from Bell Lane (J22) to Darkes Lane. The lorry, carrying plastic waste, presumably for recycling, shed no less than eight sizeable pieces of litter in Bell Lane and St Albans Road. A wh

SIR - I was following a WasteAware lorry at 8.30am on Friday March 26 from Bell Lane (J22) to Darkes Lane. The lorry, carrying plastic waste, presumably for recycling, shed no less than eight sizeable pieces of litter in Bell Lane and St Albans Road.

A white plastic bag, milk carton, transparent food carton and a piece of clingfilm were among the items flying out of this lorry.

I have admired the way pedestrian litter collectors periodically patrol this stretch of road and I have often wondered what kind of people drop this sort of highly visible plastic litter which is unsightly, mostly non-biodegradable and expensive to clear up.

Even if this happened only once per week that would probably make WasteAware one of the greatest causes of litter and the biggest litter offender on this stretch of road.

It is ludicrous if what I saw today is in any way representative of everyday occurences and, having followed closely behind the lorry, I unfortunately cannot see why it would not be representative.

I hope this letter helps anyone at the council who is trying to control litter or tighten up procedures at WasteAware.

N JOHNSON

St Michaels ward

SIR - The council tax bands for this area are very similar to those of say London, yet the level of services given are oh so different.

We are told that travel passes are not valid on London underground as Londoners pay extra for that service.

So if that accounts for the small difference between charges why is it that streets in London are so much cleaner?

The City of London sweep some of their roads six, yes six times a day. They also wash the pavements frequently by either a power wash or a steam clean.

They have civic pride and an essential image to keep up, we have the opposite. St Albans Council prefers to have voluntary litter picks by those who have already paid for this to be done though their council tax, meanwhile parts of the district have litter bins overflowing.

I can just hear councillors saying "Oh but the City is rich that's why they can do it". A good excuse until one compares nearby Tower Hamlets council, one of the poorest councils in Britain, there street cleaning is similar to the City. Around, for example, Spitalfields, it is as immaculate as the City itself.

So what are the usual excuses? It costs too much say councillors is the first and most frequent.

What is the cost difference between one clean every six months and only after you ask for it and a more regular cleaning programme? Can we see the figures?

Rather than reducing the council tax by a derisory 0.4 per cent to curry electoral favour, maintain the present council tax and have a far more effective cleaning service which can be boasted about in the next "Premier (sic) Community News". That would be worth voting for rather than putting a cross on a ballot for maintaining the present scruffy image we project.

LESLIE FREITAG

Cravells Road, Harpenden