A Bromley man is frustrated that the litter and grass are repeatedly mowed together in the green spaces near his home.
Christopher Goggin, 60, cannot understand why the litter is not being picked up before workers are sent to mow the grass.
Chris says that it has been a problem for years now and has been reporting the incidents to FixMyStreet, the council’s litter and fly tipping online reporting tool, for the last few months.
His latest report to FixMyStreet reads: “Today the rubbish on Links Way was mowed along with the Grass again.
“In these times of global warming awareness and microplastics in our food chain, this should not be happening.
“This is not an isolated incident.”
Another report Chris sent to FixMyStreet on May 26, two days after he reported rubbish on the lawn, reads: “The plastic and other litter on the grass has been mowed again today.
“This is after being asked to send someone to pick up the litter along Links Way.
“Bromley does not appear to be the green borough it claims to be.”
His full list of reports include:
- June 28 – Rubbish mowed with grass on Links Way
- May 26 – Rubbish mowed with grass on Links Way (two days after previous litter report)
- May 24 – Reports the litter on Links Way – writing in the report: “Please send someone to clear the plastics and other items before the litter is mowed with the grass again.”
- April 19 – Rubbish mowed with grass on Links Way
- Feb 2 – Rubbish mowed with grass on Links Way
Chris told the News Shopper: “It’s not just my street – it’s most parks too.
“Rubbish is just thrown all over the parks on a weekend because people go in there and they either try and squeeze their stuff into a rubbish bin or they bag stuff up and leave it on the grass.
“Then the foxes, crows, squirrels occasionally, get in there and tear everything apart and spread it all around.
“The stuff then just gets mowed.
“It’s been an ongoing thing for years.”
He says he does not see much progress made after his reports, although “little bits of work is done here and there" regarding the litter.
Chris believes the issue could possibly be due to a scheduling miscalculation that means that the grass gets repeatedly mowed before the litter is dealt with.
Veolia is in charge of litter picking in the Bromley borough, whereas idverde is the council’s green space contactors.
Chris explained: “Some of these parks are quite large and I understand that they can’t just send someone up and down collecting little bits, but you’d think there would be a bit more effort with things like plastic drinks bottles.
“The road sweepers come down my road, which is great, fantastic – but it doesn’t go on the grass.
“So, if they have just sent the road sweeper down it won’t have got the litter off the grass.
“I pick up the bigger bits of plastic and glass.
“I haven’t seen anyone coming along the streets to litter pick, they need someone to physically come along.”
Bromley Council, idverde and Veolia have been approached for comment.
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