New Brooms To Sweep Chiswick Clean
Council invest in sweepers to combat untidy areas
Chiswick streets are to get an intensive clean-up by Hounslow Council, following a six-figure sum investment which has brought in new equipment and and additional street cleaners.
The Council recently had to invest £ 300,000 to clean up the borough, following a report that ranked it as the dirtiest in London for litter, detritus and fly-posting. The quality of the street collection service was also a cause for concern.
A recent view of an untidy area near Barley Mow in Chiswick
The extra money had to be found as a stop gap after members of a scrutiny panel highlighted their concerns. From next January street improvements will be taken over by the private contractor Vinci, as part of the 25-year Hounslow Highways agreement signed last month.
Six new mechanical sweepers and 18 additional street cleaners have now been brought in to tackle the dirtiest streets in the borough. which will be supported by a campaign to remind people not to drop litter, fines for those who drop rubbish, and a project to encourage people to report litter, fly-tipping and other grot.
The new sweeper, watched by Cllr Colin Ellar
“Chiswick will see a more intensive clean-up campaign, focusing on areas where there is more debris from old leaf fall and accumulated dirt which has built up in gutters and the back of pavements over time.” said a Council spokesperson.
Cllr Colin Ellar, deputy leader and cabinet member for environment at the council, said:
“I completely sympathise with residents who complain about litter and dumped rubbish blighting their neighbourhoods. We have been doing our best, but clearly it wasn’t enough, so we’ve made this significant investment to help tackle the problem.
“More boots – and wheels – on the ground will help make a real difference to those parts of the borough that suffer most.
“But just clearing up the mess a small minority of people create isn’t a long-term solution, which is why we’re also looking at better education and enforcement about litter, to try to prevent it becoming a problem in the first place.
“We’re also looking to tap in to local people’s desire to see cleaner streets with our environment champions scheme, which will work with residents to identify problems early, so we can sort them out and prevent them getting worse.”
To help clean up the streets, the borough has been divided into three areas, each with a dedicated supervisor, mechanical sweepers and team of cleaners to ensure resources can be deployed more effectively. Performance will be monitored closely to ensure improvement targets are met.
These improvements will be put in place at the same time as a campaign to remind people to behave responsibly and not drop litter or dump rubbish. This is being supported by council officers and the police who can serve a fixed penalty notice of £80, which can be reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days. If the penalty is not paid, the maximum penalty on conviction is £2,500.
The sweeping team in action in Chiswick
Local people have a key role in helping to keep our streets clean and the campaign will work with residents’ associations, community leaders and schools to get the message across. A pilot scheme of “environment champions” will be introduced in the Heston and Cranford, Brentford and Isleworth and the Hounslow Central areas later this month to involve local people in helping achieve improvements through community efforts.
From January 2013, the 25-year Hounslow Highways contract will begin, which will not only improve the surfacing of streets and footways, but will help improve the street cleansing process.
To report litter, fly-tipping or graffiti visit www.hounslow.gov.uk/street_care or call 020 8583 5555.
September 13, 2012