An army of elves began work on 1 December 2025 to raise awareness of the problems caused by roadside litter ahead of the festive period. School children across the country joined National Highways and motorway service operators Roadchef and Westmorland Farmshop to help turn litter into glitter. Their task was to transform rubbish commonly found on motorways and major A roads into Christmas decorations. The turn litter into glitter initiative sits within National Highways’ wider effort to reduce rubbish on the roadside after a new survey revealed that more than a fifth of drivers admit to littering on major routes.
Freda Rashdi, Head of Customer Journeys at National Highways, said: “We don’t want a lot for Christmas, and we certainly won’t be wishing for snow, but what we do want is for everyone to have safe and smooth journeys over Christmas.
“Having to clear up litter on our roads causes unnecessary journey delays and costs the taxpayer millions of pounds a year, as well as endangering wildlife living close to our roads. If you are driving home for Christmas, please dispose of your rubbish responsibly and help to make sure everyone gets to spend as much time with their loved ones as possible.”
The first of eight Christmas Litter Trees was unveiled today. Pupils from Avon Park School in Rugby added the final decorations at Roadchef’s Watford Gap services. As part of the turn litter into glitter initiative, the children turned items such as crisp packets and disposable cups into animal themed decorations. Avon Park School belongs to Witherslack Group, which has 26 schools across England and connected each one with a local Roadchef service station.
Jude Jones, CEO of Witherslack Group, said: “We’re incredibly proud of our pupils for being a part of this fabulous initiative. Turning roadside litter into festive decorations not only helps improve our local environment but also teaches our children and young people the importance of taking responsibility for the world around them.
“It’s fantastic to see them actively making a difference, and initiatives like this inspire our pupils to develop habits and behaviours that will benefit their communities for years to come.”
Stuart Attfield, Head of Marketing at Roadchef, said: “We’re proud to support this initiative with National Highways. Seeing school children turn roadside litter into glitter is a brilliant reminder that small actions can make a big difference.
“By joining forces, we can reduce litter on the UK’s motorways and help keep our roads happier, safer, greener and more welcoming for everyone this Christmas.”
Survey data showed that many drivers may be close to the naughty list. Only 11 percent said they feel guilty about others having to work over Christmas to clean up their litter. Over a third did not consider that littering could injure or kill wildlife. The turn litter into glitter initiative is intended, in part, to highlight these consequences and encourage drivers to change their habits.
This festive season, road users have a role to play. By binning their litter, they can help to keep journeys smooth and safe.
The survey, conducted by Walnut Unlimited for National Highways, found that 22 percent admit to littering on major roads in England, an increase of nine percent compared with December 2024. More than half of those who litter were unaware that it can cause delays due to road workers having to remove rubbish. Respondents also said they were more likely to litter on longer journeys or when driving alone. The turn litter into glitter initiative seeks to draw attention to these behaviours through a practical activity involving children and local communities.
Roadchef, one of the UK’s leading motorway service operators with 31 locations and over 50 million visitors each year, has supported the work. The company employs more than 3,500 people and holds multiple awards for workplace engagement, including Platinum level accreditation from Investors in People in 2023 and a 3 Star Accreditation from Best Companies in 2024. Popular brands across its sites include Costa, Leon, McDonald’s, Co op and WHSmith.
