Residents across Barnet will see the frequency of their street cleansing increase from April. The new approach, to be implemented by Barnet Council, will make use of the latest technology to improve the quality of cleansing.
The council is investing £600,000 in new-generation equipment, including five large mechanical sweepers, to improve efficiency and maintain roads more vigorously all year round. The council has also obtained new street vacuums for the removal of smaller pieces of light litter. The investment is expected to save hundreds of thousands of pounds per year from the council’s budget.
From April, all Barnet roads will be deep-cleansed using the new sweepers that make it quicker and easier for teams to clean larger areas. Following the initial action, High Streets and other busy areas will be maintained more vigorously using the new machinery all year round. Other streets will be monitored regularly by supervisors to gain an understanding of where to target in the future and uphold higher standards.
To maintain a high standard of cleanliness, further deep cleans will take place at other times of the year on an ongoing basis – this includes other peak periods such as when leaves start to fall.
To support the new approach, the council will trial a new pilot scheme where residents will be asked to leave parts of some streets car-free so that the new, larger cleansing vehicles can access roads more efficiently.
Councillor Dean Cohen, Chairman of Environment Committee, said: “We want to see our streets cleansed and maintained to excellent standards, and these plans will see every road in the borough attended to by our Street Scene teams.
“Supported by our new machinery, this improved way of working will ensure our streets are left in brilliant condition all year around. This continues on the work of our Keep Barnet Clean initiative.”
At the council’s Environment Committee in March, Members will also consider how enforcement action can help to reduce littering and flytipping to improve the local environment and reduce cleansing costs.