Roads are closed as town gets deep clean

A council admitted some of its roads were "messy" and "dirty" as it began a deep clean.

Luton Council announced more than 30 road closures were scheduled between this week and 30 May as part of a "war on waste".

The authority said contractors Volker Highways would trim overgrown trees, reline faded road markings and clean storm drains. The operation would also include sweeping footpaths, repairing potholes and clearing away litter.

Labour councillor Javed Hussain, portfolio holder for highways, said: "Giving these roads some extra attention is important to ensure they are clean, and the drains are working properly to alleviate flooding."

Residents have been asked to park their vehicles on their driveway or off the street when their area is scheduled to be cleaned.

Any cars that are not moved will be relocated to a nearby unrestricted road by the council and owners could be issued a penalty charge notice.

In a statement the council said: "Waste is an issue for the town, in terms of the volume of waste produced and the presence of litter, fly-tipping and dumped items which make the town look messy and dirty.

"The deep clean programme aims to make a real difference to the cleanliness of some of the roads as it recognises how important clean and tidy places are to residents."

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