Cllr Maureen O’Mara tackles graffiti on a wall
A huge graffiti clean-up took place across the borough last week as part part of London Graffiti Awareness Week, which ran from 9-13 October.
The event focused on removing and preventing graffiti around the capital.
Enforcement officers went out to track down the taggers. Meanwhile, on the streets, volunteers from environmental groups, people on community service and Council employees worked to paint out or power wash scrawls from walls, pavements, bins and lampposts.
Cleansweep staff also worked with NTL to clean green cable boxes and an agreement with Network Rail meant 15 high level bridges got a scrub.
Cost of crime
The Council linked up with Safer Neighbourhood Teams and a range of companies, neighbouring councils and volunteers to highlight the fact that graffiti is a crime.
They also highlighted the costs of graffiti removal and the impact it has on local neighbourhoods.
Last year the Council spent at least £288,000 on cleaning graffiti from Council property, while across the country Network Rail spent £8million on removing graffiti from railway property.
On the buses
The week’s activity was complemented by ongoing work from the Metropolitan Police Service’s Transport Operational Command Unit that tackles criminal damage being committed on London’s buses. A number of arrests of graffiti offenders have taken place as a result of this operation.
The week was organised by Capital Standards, a partnership of London councils and other agencies that work together to improve the cleanliness of London.
Graffiti spoils the environment
Cllr Maureen O’Mara, the Council’s cabinet member for environment and community safety, said: "On the one hand I am very grateful to all the volunteers, agencies and Council staff who have worked so hard during Graffiti Awareness Week to remove graffiti from a wide range of sites.
"At the same time I find it extremely depressing that such awareness weeks are necessary – and that staff from the Council and from transport authorities are called back time and again to clean graffiti from sites across the borough.
"Graffiti is a crime. It spoils the environment, makes our neighbourhoods feel less safe, and costs hundreds of thousands of pounds each year to clean – money that could instead be paying for valuable local services.
"We need to create a zero tolerance approach to graffiti across the borough."
Want to report graffiti?
If you want to report graffiti in your area, fill in our online form or contact Cleansweep using the details to the right.
13 October 2006