He has hit out at the situation at the shops and entertainment complex at Eastfield Way on the eastern outskirts of the city – the so-called "Golden Mile" – claiming that the windblown mess stretches for miles along the A96 and also as far as Culloden and Balloch.

His blast comes as pressure is mounting on the government to introduce legislation which will reduce the amount of plastic bags handed out free to shoppers. The carrier bags can have a devastating effect on wildlife and are now being widely regarded a blight on the countryside.

Campaigners say plastic bags can take up to 1,000 years to decay and they are known to kill wildlife on land and at sea if they are ingested.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown has warned retailers that he will force them to cut down plastic bag use if they don't act voluntarily and already Marks and Spencer has announced it is going to start charging shoppers 5p per bag from May 6.

The situation around Inverness is concerning Provost Wynd.

Regular clean-ups take place in the landscaped areas around the Tesco Extra store at Eastfield Way but he said empty bags from sahops at the retail park, not just Tesco, have an impact on the countryside for miles along the A96 and up Barn Church Road to Culloden and Balloch.

"It is a blight on our countryside and I am pleased the issue is being raised at such a high level," said the Provost.

"I would just ban them and the public will adjust to bringing their own re-useable bags when they go for their shopping."

Provost Wynd said: "Certainly it does not create a good impression for travellers arriving in Inverness from the east when they approach Tesco and see the bags which have been blown by the prevailing westerly wind for miles along the A96 and up Barn Church Road.

"The fenceline traps the bags, they are caught up in bushes and they can be stuck up in the branches for trees for years. But it's a citywide and nationwide problem.

"They only way to sort it out is to ban plastic bags completely."

The Provost said in his own patch at Balloch there was a small wooded area known as the hedges which regularly builds up with the unsightly carrier bags.

"Balloch Village Trust carry out regular clean-ups but it is difficult to keep on top of the problem," he said.

"When I was a boy myself and my brother both had to go to the local Co-oP with two shopping bags each.

"People can take positive action themselves. Keep canvass bags in your cars or stick a couple of bags in your pocket if you are just going for a local shop."

An estimated 13 billion carrier bags are given away to UK shoppers each year.

The Conservatives have released official figures which indicate that government departments and agencies have bought more than 1.2 million plastic bags branded with their logos over the last two years.

A Tesco spokesman said: "By giving Green Clubcard points to customers who re-use their bags we've saved a massive 1.3 billion bags since the scheme started – that's well over 25 per cent of the bags we issue.

"We support any moves to reduce carrier bag usage but we've had great results by using the carrot rather than the stick and so we have no plans to start charging.

"All of Tesco's free bags are degradable. We also offer bagless deliveries on Tesco.com and have a wide range of attractive re-usable Bags for Life and Shoppers that have proven really popular with customers."

d.wilson@highland-news.co.uk

* Should free carrier bags be banned in shops? Go to 'The Big Vote' to have your say.

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