LONDON: Huge clean-up operation ahead of London 2012 (From This Is Local London)

LONDON: Huge clean-up operation ahead of London 2012

7:20am Tuesday 28th April 2009

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POLICE teams will join council workers and residents to help clean up London ahead of the 2012 Olympics.

Three Met Safer Neighbourhood Teams will remove graffiti and pick up litter in Orpington and Locksbottom as part of the Capital Clean-up campaign.

The campaign in the Bromley borough begins on May 5 when the Mottingham and Chislehurst North Safer Neighbourhood Team join shop owners and staff from Bromley Council and Broomleigh Housing in Kimmeridge Road, Mottingham.

The volunteers plan to spruce up the shopping parade and remove graffiti.

And on May 12, Sergeant David Conyers’ Cray Valley West Safer Neighbourhood Team will be in Cotmandene Crescent, Orpington, for a general street clean-up and removal of graffiti in the shopping area.

Sgt Conyers said: “We are committed to a series of clean-ups that have been going on for a number of years in certain areas of the borough.

“We have been doing this for quite some time and it helps the broken glass effect.

“If we can clean up an area it can help to improve people’s perceptions and hopefully prevent anti social behaviour in the future.”

'Top priority'

On May 9, the Farnborough and Crofton Safer Neighbourhood Team will help clean up Tugmutton Common and Farnborough Common in Locksbottom.

Meanwhile, next month the Cray Valley East team will work with the local residents’ association, Bromley Council and Broomleigh Housing to complete a litter clean-up of the Mountfield Estate in Orpington.

Deputy Mayor of London Richard Barnes said: "It is a top priority for the Mayor and I to make London a cleaner, more pleasant place, especially as the world's eyes turn towards us in the run-up to the 2012 Games.

“I know Londoners have pride in their city and we encourage everyone to play their part in keeping their neighbourhood free of grime and litter during Capital Clean-up and beyond.”

Events will be running in both Lewisham and Greenwich boroughs, including a clean-up of New Cross Road, opposite New Cross Gate station, On May 9 from 10am to 2pm.

Greenwich Council have also organised a litter pick up and removal of graffiti in Deptford Bridge on May 6 and 7.

Himalayan Balsam weed

Rivers flowing through Greenwich, Lewisham and Bromley are also being targeted in the clean-up campaign.

The Three Rivers Campaign is a collaboration between environmental groups in the area, including Thames21, and aims to remove Himalayan Balsam weed from the rivers Ravensbourne, Pool and Quaggy, from May 30 to June 7.

Himalayan Balsam is a weed which spreads quickly, clogging up the water where it grows, and requires specialised methods to remove it.

A campaign spokesman said: “The project aims to remove as much Himalayan Balsam as possible in this area as well as carrying out litter picks along the river banks.

“By focusing on removing this invasive species we aim to help restore the rivers in the Ravensbourne system to a more natural state.”

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