Dec 2023 – Hounslow Highways Recognised for Street Cleansing Excellence

The Hounslow Highways street cleansing team was shortlisted by the Association of Public Service Excellence (APSE) in the Best Cleansing Authority category. The APSE Awards are incredibly prestigious in the public services community and this is a really tough category, so the team is delighted with this external recognition.

Fly tipping, and waste left on the public highway costs local authorities thousands each year and government figures from 2022/23 showed that across England, 40% of fly-tipping occurs on the highway (pavements and roads). In Hounslow alone, up to 4,000 inspections take place every year to ensure the streets remain safe and clean. The team also rely on reports from the public to identify issues, ‘hot spots’ and potential offenders. Street cleansing services cover litter, fly tipping, fly posting, weeds, graffiti, dog fouling and public bin emptying.

So, how do Hounslow Highways approach ‘excellence’? The team uses a Land Audit Management System (LAMS) to monitor and manage street cleansing operations in the borough. This system helps by measuring the environmental quality of Hounslow’s streets, using this data to identify ‘hot spots’ and tracks performance against neighbouring London boroughs. In 2023, the Hounslow LAMS score jumped from 90% to 97% for removal of litter – great news for residents and the local community!

You may have seen these dedicated cleansing teams out on the network in all weathers, either in their colourful sweeper units or on foot, working across the borough with a can-do attitude to keep your streets clean. Next time you see them, take pride in the fact that they are delivering excellent services for the community, and continuing to work towards making Hounslow cleaner and greener!

If you spot a cleansing issue or highway defect, please use the ‘Report It’ feature on the website, or through the FixMyStreet app.