The organisers of next month's Westportif are cracking down on littering and as well as having marshals deployed to police the issue they are introducing designated rubbish collection points along the three routes.
There are many efforts being made to clean up cycling these days, with some more successful than others.
While doping might me impossible to completely eradicate, an easier to stamp out malaise that has infected the sport is the issue of littering.
The organisers of the Westportif leisure cycle next month have come up with what they feel could be the answer to the piles of waste that such events produce, be it discarded bidons or gel and sweet wrappers.
Special ‘collection zones’ where riders can throw away unwanted wrappers will be in place along the three routes next month, making the lives of the rubbish collectors a far easier one.
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Padraig Marrey, a lifelong cyclist and avid promoter of maintaining the environment said it makes no sense cyclists campaigning for motorists to use the bike more often when those on two wheels destroy the environment by throwing away gels wrappers, tubes, cans and plastic bottles.
“The idea behind the designated zones is to use identifiable areas where the waste can be collected.
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“These zones will be highly visible,” he said.
“It will be difficult to enforce this ruling but there will be bike police on duty at the event keeping an eye on this as well as ensuring rules of the road are adhered to.
“It is hoped by highlighting the litter issue that peer pressure within the cycling groups will self-police it.
“But like all things, it has to start somewhere and it’s useful and proactive by discussing the topic.
“Seeing riders dump things by the road is never great, especially as amateurs are often copying the pros; it’s not uncommon to see energy food wrappers beside the roads most popular with cyclists and runners here.”
Waste collection areas will be in place at the start and end of the respective feed stations.
Riders are only permitted to throw their rubbish, water bottles and all other waste in this specific area.
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