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Dukes Highway Research - Report Summary

Road and Litter Facts

The Dukes Highway is located between Tailem Bend and Bordertown in South Australia and is part of the main vehicular route between Adelaide and Melbourne. It joins the dual carriageway at Tailem Bend that leads to the South Eastern Freeway into Adelaide and the Western Highway to Melbourne at Bordertown.

• The estimated average daily traffic through Bordertown is 2100 of which 1247 are cars (including cars towing caravans/trailers) and 853 are trucks.
  
  
• A KESAB environmental solutions litter count in June/July 2003 indicated that in each 400 metre stretch of roadside (200m on each side of the road), the average number of items of litter was 426. A similar survey of 100 highway sites throughout Australia on the National Highway in April 2000 averaged 131 items per site.
  
  
• The Dukes Highway litter count is three times higher than the National Highway Count of 3 years ago.
  
  
• In addition to roadside verges, KESAB environmental solutions also surveyed nine road rest stops on the Dukes Highway. In these cases, each in an area that included at least one litter bin, only one side of a rest stop area of 100 metres was audited. The average number of items of litter was 381!
  
  

Driver Habits

• 350 drivers were interviewed along the Dukes Highway, including 100 truck drivers.
  
  
• More than half the sample had driven on the Dukes Highway 21 times or more, including 44% among car drivers; 92% among truck drivers. Perhaps familiarity breeds contempt.
  
  
• The great majority of drivers stop for one reason or another whilst on the Dukes Highway. The primary single reason for stopping was to refuel vehicle. However, stopping to buy/eat food cumulatively was even more significant.
  
  
• Over half (55%) said they eat and/or drink within their vehicle whilst 40% smoke in their vehicle.
  
  

• Less than half the drivers use rest stops (a designated roadside rest stop area away from a town without a roadhouse). The significant reasons for non-use (apart from only stop to refuel/no need to stop) were:

  • Poor facilities
  • Lack of signage to alert in time
  • Uninviting

Self-reported Litter Habits

• Half of all drivers admitted they sometimes throw litter out the window (37%) or put rubbish on the ground (13%).
  
  
• Over two-thirds of company truck drivers claim never to litter, which aligns with the transport company executives' view that company drivers feel they "own" the highway.
  
  
• Football fans admit to littering on the Dukes Highway more than any other sector.
  
  

• The most self-reported littered items were:

  • Food/fruit 18%
  • Cigarette butts 8%
  • Bottle tops 7%
  • Drink bottles/containers 7%
  • Food wrapping/containers 7%
  • Condoms 5%
    
    
• Less than one-third of drivers kept a bag in their vehicle for carrying litter. The highest incidence of use was among company truck drivers (60%) with the lowest use among young local residents (12%).

Attitudes and Perceptions

• 60% of drivers had noticed litter on the Dukes Highway. However, most described this as "a little" or "very little".
  
  
• Most drivers could not compare the amount of litter seen in SA compared with Victoria (on the Dukes/Western Highway). However, more said: "SA appears to have more litter than Victoria" (12%) than "Victoria appears to have more than SA" (5%).
  
  
• "Everybody" was seen as the main culprit. The only sector significantly pin-pointed was the young car drivers group.
  
  
• There was virtually no knowledge that the fine for littering in SA was $315. When told, the majority agreed that amount "was about right".
  
  
• Only 6% thought it likely that a litterer on the Dukes Highway would be convicted.

Initiatives and Suggestions

• Stage 1 respondents (Transport and Associated Business Executives) suggested that more signage was needed and we asked all drivers their opinion on five different signs. There was significant majority support for each of the five signs.
  
  

• When asked what could be done to help them dispose of litter better, drivers told us:

  • Empty bins more often
  • Provide more bins
  • Tell us where bins are located
  • Signs to tell us the fines, where bins are located and the damage done to the environment
    
    
• When asked what should be done to encourage others to dispose of litter appropriately, the main suggestions focused on the signs previously discussed plus publicity, advertising and education.
  
  
• Just under half of the car drivers were members of the RAA (another 30% were members of interstate affiliates) and four-fifths of all of these would welcome suggestions on litter disposal from their motoring club.
  
  
• Over half the football fans were members of a football club and three-quarters of these would like to receive suggestions on litter disposal from their club.
  
  
• Only 20% of the company truck drivers were members of the TWU and less than a third wish to receive suggestions on litter disposal from the Union. However, three-quarters of truck drivers thought their companies should have a code of practice concerning litter.
  
  
• More than a third (37%) of local residents thought their local council should do more to reduce littering.

KESAB environmental solutions
(08) 8234 7255 - Fax (08) 82347266 - 214 Grange Road, Flinders Park, SA 5025, Australia