An activist is pushing for cleaner streets and overflowing bins to be tackled along one of the busiest roads in Reading.
Oxford Road is home to hundreds of people and businesses, including a large number of food takeaways, convenience stores and service providers.
However, that comes with challenges, as the road has become a known hotspot for littering and overflowing bins.
This has led volunteer groups such as the Oxford Road Anti-Litter Society to conduct ‘neighbourhood cleans’, which activist Pratikshya Gurung posted about on Sunday, March 1.
Reading Borough Council is responsible for keeping streets clean. Last September, it appointed Kingdom local authority support (KLAS) to punish those caught littering and flytipping.
Ms Gurung asked how Kingdom enforcers could be used to deal with littering in Oxford Road at a recent council meeting.
She said: “There have been persistent issues with overflowing bins and littering along the Oxford Road for a number of years, and the resolution of that is complex.
“However, I understand that the trial Kingdom enforcement team has been making significant strides in pursuing persistent littering and fly tipping.
“Could you outline how the Kingdom enforcement team could be utilised in tackling the persistent problems along the Oxford Road?”
The question was answered by Karen Rowland, lead councillor for environmental services.
So far, KLAS has issued 1,387 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for waste offences, with 167 of these being issued in the Oxford Road Battle ward area.
Cllr Rowland (Labour, Abbey) said: “The KLAS team, in partnership with the council’s in-house officers, work closely with the community in identifying and tackling reported issues; patrolling known hot-spot areas and responding directly to issues reported by the public.
“We would therefore continue to ask all residents and businesses to continue to report any incidents of fly tipping or litter to the council and its partner through the website, the contact centre or the Love Clean Streets (Reading) app, so resources can be targeted where needed.
“In addition to the existing successful programme of work by environmental enforcement teams, in April the council will be targeting this combined resource for a week in addressing some of the most persistent environmental challenges on the Oxford Road.
“The intervention will tackle littering, fly-tipping and poorly managed business waste.
“The date of this action week will not be further announced, as businesses especially are expected to be following the rules around waste that have been set out previously by our enforcement teams along the route through their previous work with businesses there.
“Alongside the high-profile enforcement activity and increased officer presence, households and businesses will be provided with advice and support, with reminders on correct waste disposal practice distributed.”
The answer was given at the full council meeting on March 24.
Ms Gurung is the Labour candidate for Battle ward, and cllr Rowland is the Labour candidate for Abbey ward in the borough council elections on Thursday, May 7.
