Observations

Don't some lorries use re-treaded tyres? I have always imagine what you see on the motorway is the re-treading part of the tyre so they probably don't stop for some way after the incident?  The bits never look like complete tyres? 

I think there is a tendency to see more motorhomes on the move in the winter as they are often only away for a night or two? AT least that is the impression I get from reading Facebook Groups.

David

Could be so, just so many of them and so much general discarded rubbish all over the place too. What a disgraceful state of affairs and ‘rubbish’ strewn country we live in. Even saw a settee and a fridge freezer in one lay-by.

Yes we tend to stay only a couple or three nights at one site and move on.. Don’t caravaners do the same when going away for just a weekend? Just saw so many more motorhomes on the sites too.

Living very close to the A1 we are aware of the very many accidents on the road. The part through Lincs is one of the most dangerous roads in the country. The accidents cost the economy millions. Many involve hgv vehicles so not surprised at the amount of tyres, especially parts of tyres. Every so often they close the A1 completely or in part, overnight to do roadside litter collection. It is not something that can be done without the road closures, just too dangerous.

I think DK and Hja, are thinking in the right direction. Who in their right mind is going to step out onto a busy motorway and remove their debris, that’s if they are even aware something has happened🤷‍♀️

https://www.transportengineer.org.uk/transport-engineer-features/tyres-reading-the-debris/174373

The other factor is one common to most issues in this country (I can’t  be sure about others)……there simply aren’t enough human beings employed to actually carry out the work required, be it keeping motorways safe, patrolling streets, answering telephones, caring for the sick, elderly and disabled, carrying out routine safety checks, etc…, etc…..

We live in a financially divisive and challenged country sadly.

Interesting article there, TDA. Yes, seen tyres littering in the past but this time there seemed so many more. When on the continent I’ve seen crews in the middle of the night doing strategic clean up operations of ‘motorways’ and major roads. Is this not happening here? 

OH used to spend a fair bit of time up and down local motorways, going to RTA’s in the night time hours and can recall seeing such obstructions being removed, but that is quite a long time ago now. We rarely see a Police motorway patrol car anywhere on the M1, A1, M18, M180, M62 that are all within 10 miles of us, and have commented on it for at least the last fifteen years. You are lucky if you see a Highway Agency patrol vehicle as well. So stuff clearly isn’t getting reported and collected, unless it’s a major hazard actually in the carriageway, most simply stays in the gutters, or might get dumped into nearest layby. I cannot think of a single public service agency that isn’t struggling to perform as it should be because of lack of funding, lack of staffing, lack of investment. ☹️

Not only tyres littering the road.....  In certain places there is so much general rubbish... cans, plastic bottles, paper.... etc.... usually at the side of motorways or major trunk roads.  I just wonder how much has got to do with some of the stormy weather/ winds we have had recently...blowing the stuff around?

David

I also think that Autumn sees the trees, bushes denuded and the ground cover dying back revealing folks deliberately discarded detritus! What a messy and antisocial lot some of us are. It’s terrible and it’s left there year on year it seems. A danger to us and nature in general. Makes my blood boil, so sad!

Just over 2 years ago, whilst on the M5, a tyre blew out on my motorhome, just before J6.  I got out of the van, climbed over the barrier and was on the phone to Green Flag when the police turned up, then the Highways Agency man turned up as well, both of them within just a few minutes of me stopping.  The policeman drove the van the short distance off the motorway to a part-time, car park next to the motorway and the Green Flag man changed the wheel.  I was very impressed with the services of all 3, but perhaps it was due to more services being available on a live, so called "Smart" motorway and J5, not being too far away.

We were towing our caravan south on the M5 on our way to Devon a while back along with our son and his partner who were a few miles ahead of us in his car and we received a call from him informing us that there was a sofa in the middle lane and he had contacted the police, by the time we reached it there was foam rubber all over the place