TOURISTS, students and residents are being targeted in a crackdown on litter in Oxford.

Volunteers are being urged to don their rubber gloves and get ready to clean up the city for Spring Clean 2011.

The fourth annual clean-up is organised by civic society OxClean and will take place on the weekend of March 4-5.

This year, the focus is on a Don’t Drop It message, and the city’s bus companies and black cab operators have already joined up to promote the message.

OxClean spokesman Pauline Martin said: “This year, we are focusing not only on the people who turn up to help clean up Oxford, but everyone, from tourists to students and residents.

“We want to make the problem of litter belong to all the people who drop it and make them think twice.

“The weekend is a way of kick-starting the city clean-up for the whole year. It’s a big ask to change peoples’ attitudes, but it has been done. For example, people don’t use as many plastic bags now and can’t smoke in public places.

“The more people who take part, the bigger the impact on our city and the stronger our voice when campaigning for a cleaner Oxford throughout the year.”

Posters for the campaign will go in Stagecoach and Oxford Bus Company buses and Oxford’s 400 hackney carriages will display posters in their windows.

Louisa Weeks, operations director for the Oxford Bus Company, said: “We’re delighted to continue our support for OxClean.

“We’ve been involved since the start and we will be promoting the ‘Don’t Drop It’ campaign on our buses.

“The message will also feature prominently on the display screens on our BrookesBus services.”

Stagecoach spokesman Chris Child said: “Stagecoach is pleased to help OxClean as we have the same ambition to see a cleaner, greener, Oxford.

“We invested £7.5m in 26 hybrid buses to help Oxford become cleaner. The partnership with OxClean helps encourage everyone to do their bit for a better Oxford.”

Spring Clean 2010 saw a record turnout of 117 community groups and schools, with an estimated 1,700 volunteers.

This year, more than 70 groups have already signed up, including the Rose Hill Tenants’ and Residents’ Association.

Chairman Peter Wilkinson said: “Last year, a number of groups in Rose Hill took part in a small way.

“We are hoping the groups can get together this year and provide a much bigger effort. We want to make a big impression.”

The group is also planning to provide two skips to get rid of larger items of rubbish.

Mr Wilkinson said: “Fly tipping is the major concern now. While people can get things like furniture collected from their homes, some just don’t bother.”

For more details click on the link below to visit the OxClean website