Sir – OxClean and Oxford Civic Society are grateful to councillor John Tanner for the thanks he expressed in your columns last week.

We very much echo the thanks to the city council Streetscene team who supported the weekend and work throughout the year to pick up the litter dropped in our city.

Thank you also to the Oxford Mail and The Oxford Times who have reported the         spring-cleaning efforts of communities across the city.

The city council has informed us that groups collected more than seven tonnes of litter, including 3.28 tonnes of recyclable litter during the weekend.

In addition, a lot of fly-tipped material was cleared.

One group reported that three of them had filled 40 bags. Other groups have reported both success in cleaning up and enjoying themselves.

Whilst Spring Clean is our main clean-up event, we are very happy to lend litter pickers and high-visibility jackets to any group in Oxford or nearby who want to borrow them throughout the year. Please contact us via the oxclean.org.uk website.

We share the concerns expressed in your columns about the litter on the main roads round Oxford.

Picking litter is a district council responsibility. Cherwell and the city council have found that having decent bins and good signage in laybys makes an impact.

We urge West Oxforshire, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse district councils to follow suit.

Spring Clean 2016 will take place on Friday, March 4, 5, and 6. I do hope that many more readers will join us.

Vernon Porter, Hon Secretary, Oxford Civic Society, Oxford