The cleaning of council owned or adopted streets, car parks, gullies and other land by mechanical or manual methods.

Changes to street cleaning

Exciting changes have taken place to how we clean and improve the streets of York.

Zones

The city is now divided into five zones. Street cleaning is carried out by methods that reflect the needs of each area and their different uses, including built up terraced areas, recreational land, and shopping areas.

For example, streets in terraced areas are swept by hand where practical, as well as mechanical sweeping using a road sweeping vehicle and routine road closures to ensure thorough cleaning is carried out. In rural areas, mechanical sweeping is routine, with additional manual sweeping in residential areas on a regular basis.

The five zones are:

• North zone: Skelton, Rawcliffe & Clifton Without, Haxby & Wigginton, Huntington & New Earswick, and Strensall.
• South zone: Rural West York, Bishopthorpe, Wheldrake, Heworth Without, Derwent and Osbaldwick.
• East zone: Heworth, Clifton, Guildhall (outside Bar Walls), Hull Road, Fishergate, Heslington, and Fulford
• West zone: Micklegate (outside the walls), Holgate, Acomb, Westfield and Dringhouses and Woodthorpe.
• City zone: Guildhall and Micklgate (inside the Bar Walls).

Each zone has their own dedicated cleansing team. By having a dedicated team, its members will develop local knowledge, enabling them to reflect local needs, as part of that community.

The team comprises of a sweeper working to a beat on foot, using brushes and a barrow, and dedicated vehicles to address urgent problems, hot spots, litter bins and back lanes.

Each dedicated zone cleaning team are also part of a Neighbourhood Pride Team.

Background information

These changes are an outcome of the Street Scene Service review that took place during summer 2006.

Exciting changes to street cleansing techniques are just one example of improvements to be introduced as a result of the work carried out. The review identified what is good about the current service (hanging baskets and floral displays, for example), as well as highlighting areas for improvement (such as the need for more enforcement on environmental crimes). It was agreed that changes were due, including the need to address the different cleaning requirements of the different areas of the city.

Previously cleansing was carried out to schedules that in some areas couldn't effectively address the problem of detritus. The new methods will ensure that satisfactory standards are achieved everywhere by the best means.

Contact

If you have any questions about the provision and frequency of scheduled cleaning services across York contact York Pride Action line.