Street cleaning standards and reporting

Report it

If you need to report a problem with the condition of streets and pavements or with street cleaning, do it online on the Love Clean Streets app or website.

Standards of street cleaning

We use several methods to keep our streets clean, and we have mechanical sweeping machines. The larger sweepers can take up to 2 tonnes of waste at a time, while the smaller machines are better at working around parked cars. Our officers check that we meet the standards for cleanliness prescribed by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. The Environmental Protection Act 1990 Part IV sets out cleanliness standards for streets and land, depending on location and usage. This has been strengthened by the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

Street cleaning includes:

• cleaning pavements and kerbside channels
• cleaning footpaths, pavements and Croydon housing estates
• cleaning drainage gully grates on roadside
• emptying litter bins
• removal of dog fouling
• removal of dead animals
• removal of fallen leaves
• weed control

Grades of cleanliness

Depending on scheduling our contractor, we will undertake checks to confirm if cleaning is required. Focus is given on areas that are below grade. The contractor is expected to clean to a grade A, and maintain to a grade B. 

• Grade A: No litter or refuse
• Grade B: Predominately free of litter and refuse apart from some small items
• Grade C: Widespread distribution of litter or refuse with minor build up
• Grade D: Heavily affected by litter or refuse with significant build up