Take your rubbish home urges firm after increase in littering on buses

First West Yorkshire said that cleaners are spending up to 25 minutes removing rubbish from every bus each evening, with chewing gum, newspapers, plastic bottles and chocolate wrappers among common items left.

The most common annoyance for cleaners is gum being stuck underneath seats, according to First.

Paul Matthews, managing director at First West Yorkshire, said: “Operating a reliable and value for money service is our highest priority, but we also want to ensure that the on-board experience is pleasant for our customers and that the vehicles are clean and welcoming.

“We have noticed an increase in customers leaving rubbish on board buses and we have therefore launched a campaign to encourage people to take their rubbish away with them and to leave the bus tidy.

“We have regular requests for larger litter bins on board our buses and we have taken this feedback on board and are now working with the manufacturers of our new buses, to ensure we have larger litter bins that are more visible.

“In the meantime, we’d urge customers to help keep the bus tidy by placing newspapers back into the tray and to take any food and drink packaging away with them when leaving the bus.”

The company said all vehicles received a deep clean every month, where a cleaner can spend up to four hours on one double decker.