Lancaster residents wage war on weeds

Coun Oscar Thynne (left) with residents taking part in the street cleaning session in Havelock Street.

Weeding was among items cut by the council earlier this year due to the budget being slashed by central government.

But with streets becoming over-run, and many people contacting the Guardian with pictures of their roads, some residents have decided to take matters into their own hands.

Most recently, a day was spent clearing four bags of weeds from the pavement and alleyway in and behind Havelock Street in Bowerham.

Dorrington Road resident Gavin Greenwood took this photo of the pavement by his house.

Ward councillor Oscar Thynne said: “It is incredibly helpful if people can just do a bit outside their front door.

“We had a mixed view from people about it.

“The ones who have come and helped have been very engaged and said they wanted to get more people to adopt the same approach of getting stuck in and doing their bit and taking pride in their street.

“There are others who say it’s something the council should be doing.”

Sue Winterbottom's grandsons Rhys and Jake helping clear the weeds.

Meanwhile, Green councillors have launched ‘Weeding Wednesdays’ to tackle city centre weeds.

Bulk ward councillors Caroline Jackson and Tim Hamilton-Cox, joined by locals, armed themselves with yellow jackets, old kitchen knives and yard brushes to make a significant dent in clearing the weeds from the paved triangle in the middle of the road at Stonewell.

Coun Caroline Jackson said: Lancaster is a popular tourist destination in the summer and I am finding it hard to be proud of our city centre at present because of all the weeds.”

County Coun Gina Dowding said: “This year the weed spraying has been stopped altogether as a result of county level funding cuts. I know a lot of people quite like the weeds but as councillors we feel it makes our city centre look uncared for.

A resident joins in the street cleaning session in Havelock Street.

“This was just a first attempt to see what equipment we needed and how hard a job it was, before organising more sessions in other areas.

“Staff in the environment department at Lancaster City Council are controlling weeds on council-owned property and have been quick to support initiatives by residents to improve the state of other areas.”