CLEAN-up campaigners are urging motorists to change their ways.

The A19 main Tyne-Tees route has come in for criticism for untidy lay-bys and road sides.

The Tidy Britain Group says the grubby image puts off visitors while being expensive to clean up.

According to research, 1.3 million bits of litter are dumped on the country's roads every weekend.

Every parking bay along the A19 and every slip road between Seaton Burn, on Tyneside, and Middlesbrough, was found to contain rubbish. A survey of the A69 between Newcastle and Hexham came up with the same results.

Marian Harrison, regional director of Tidy Britain, said: "Apart from the fact that it looks ugly and gives visitors travelling along the A69 and the A19 a bad impression of the region, car litter is very expensive to clean up."

Ninety-four per cent of people asked claimed litter disgusted them, while 60 per cent admitted feeling angry when they saw a motorist throw rubbish from a car.

Ms Harrison said: "Just under 19 per cent of motorists actually admit to dropping litter out of their car. Even allowing for the fact that some litter slobs won't own up to their guilty secret, that still suggests that most people get rid of their rubbish properly.