A MAJOR clean-up is taking place along a stretch of the A66 to clear litter.

Stockton Borough Council has been given the go-ahead from Highways England to conduct the work from Teesside Park to Surtees Bridge this week during three overnight closures.

Councillor Mike Smith, the council’s cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “The A66 is a national speed limit road and we’re only allowed access to carry out litter picking on the verges during times when it is closed for maintenance work.

“There have been some changes in how Highways England manages its network and our staff have recently undergone some additional safety training to ensure they can continue to access the roadside safely.

"It’s unfortunate that we are forced to clear up after a minority of people who throw litter out of their vehicles onto our road verges, but we will take these opportunities to do clean-up work when they arise.”