Street & market cleaning

Market cleaning

The council is responsible for keeping the local market grounds clean and free from litter.

If you wish to report a problem with cleanliness on one our our market grounds, please do so by contacting a member of the council:

For further information please contact:

Tel: 020 7364 5004
Fax: 020 7364 3721

E-mail: generalenquiries@towerhamlets.gov.uk

• More information on markets in the borough
• Information for market traders

Street cleaning

The council has responsibility for keeping the streets within the borough clean and the following explains the street cleaning.

Streets within Tower Hamlets are cleaned under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. This means that there are no set schedules for the streets to be swept, but they are expected to be kept to an acceptable standard.

The standard is set out under the act and streets with the borough are 'zoned' to reflect this.

• Zone 1 - town centre, shopping centres & major shopping streets, major transport centres, central car parks and other busy public places
• Zone 2 - high density residential areas, busy recreational land, suburban transport centres, industrial estates with a high density of premises
• Zone 3 - low density residential areas, other recreational land, other transport centres, industrial estates with a low density of premises, high technology business parks
• Zone 4 - all other areas.

Cleanliness standards

• Grade A: no litter or refuse
• Grade B: predominantly free of litter and refuse apart from some small items
• Grade C: widespread distribution of litter and refuse with minor accumulations
• Grade D: heavily littered with significant accumulations

It is aimed to achieve a Grade A after sweeping, but it is not reasonable to expect that standard to be maintained at all times. If a street falls below a Grade A it is aimed to return it to that grade within 24 hours.

The Environmental Protection Act indicates Hamlets Council has a legal duty to keep its streets predominantly free of litter and general refuse. The streets are regularly monitored. Where the level of cleanliness falls below a high standard steps are taken to address the issue.

The council aims to return any street reported as being dirty to an acceptable level of cleanliness within 24 hours.

Street cleansing also means the emptying of all litter bins, reporting any damage to litter bins or street furniture and signs and the removal of all litter, road dirt, dust, leaves and extraneous matter.

Pid No: 846