CAMPAIGN: CITY’S LITTER-PICKERS SUPPORT SHOPPING PLEA

by John Roberts

The Telegraph & Argus Buy it in Bradford campaign has won the support from the army of litter pickers who help to keep the streets clean.

Staff at Bradford Council’s cleansing department are urging people to continue to shop in the city centre.

The campaign was launched earlier this month to support the city’s retailers as Bradford undergoes massive upheaval with the construction work at Rawson Market and demolition taking place to make way for the massive Broadway shopping complex. Mark Strudwick, the cleansing department’s team leader for the city centre, called on residents to back the Buy it in Bradford campaign by doing their shopping in the city. He said: “I would encourage more people to come into the city centre, it will be good for Bradford. We like to think we do a good job and keep the city looking nice but all of the building work which is going on doesn’t make Bradford look any better.”

The Council’s cleansing efforts start while most people are still tucked up in bed at 6am as six mechanical street sweepers tour the city centre. These are followed by workers who patrol the city from 9am until 6pm on the look-out for litter.

The litter pickers also work with the Council’s wardens who will report any fly-tipping or area of rubbish which needs cleaning up. Mr Strudwick said the litter pickers provided a public service to shoppers in the city. He said: “We are not just picking up litter we also help people with directions and sometimes the city centre wardens contact us if they do not know the answer to something."

This week a blitz on litterbugs has been launched by Bradford Police and the Council. Anyone caught dropping litter in the centre will be hit with an on the spot £50 fine. The crackdown is for two weeks to warn people that dropping litter in the centre is not acceptable.

The council’s litter picking team say they still have problems with beggars rifling through bins. But litter picker Peter Ackroyd said Bradford had become a more pleasant place to work and shop. He said: “I think the police community support officers have made a difference.”

e-mail: john.roberts @bradford.newsquest.co.uk