LITTERBUGS are being urged not to throw rubbish onto the railway after a haul was strewn along the branch-line between Witham and Braintree.

Network Rail says it will be removing the pile of rubbish dumped at the side of the line but has called the actions of those responsible ‘disgusting’.

The pile was discovered by Witham North county councillor James Abbott who has revealed concerns about an increase of littering in the area.

He said: “I was crossing over the footbridge between the Cherry Tree pub and Church Street when I looked down and saw it all.

“There was a load of cans and bottles in a long line, but there was also some pretty big things like a shopping trolley, children’s toys and planks of wood.

“It looks to me it’s just been chucked down their from the bridge.

“Unfortunately there seems to be a growing trend of littering at the moment. People seem to have just forgotten about their responsibility to the environment and to each other.

“It’s very sad and disappointing.”

Mr Abbott says he reported the litter to Network Rail who he said have responded swiftly to deal with the matter.

But Mr Abbott has called on residents to show better care not only for the environment, but also to think of the dangers of throwing stuff onto a railway line.

He added: “Not only is the litter unsightly but it is also quite dangerous for trains. It could cause disruptions if something gets on the line, or worse, a train could actually hit something.

“We do our best to litter pick around Witham but I think getting down to clear the railway line is beyond our limits.

“At the end of the day, people shouldn’t be doing it.

“It’s unacceptable”

A spokesman for Network Rail said: “It’s disgusting that people think it is ok to abuse the environment and dump rubbish on the railway.

“Not only is it a huge safety risk for trains and passengers, but also our maintenance teams, especially when they are working at night.

“The time and money we spend on clearing up rubbish would be better spent providing a better and more reliable railway.”