Preston Road residents clean their alley (From Harrow Times)

Residents tackle graffiti, flytipping, and vandalism

9:30am Saturday 14th February 2009 in News By Tristan Kirk

NEIGHBOURS in streets close to Preston Road tube station are getting together to clean up a troublesome alleyway.

The residents of Grasmere Avenue, Woodford Place and Glendale Gardens are fed up with the state of the alley, which runs behind their houses.

They are starting a mass clean-up process this morning in the alley, which has in the past been a hotspot for flytipping, vandalism and graffiti.

Almost all of the residents have been burgled in the past because thieves have been able to use the alley to get into their homes.

Following a host of meetings between residents, Brent Council has gated off the alleyway and a management committee has been set up to look after it.

A neighbourhood watch scheme has been established in the three roads and residents have now decided to clean up the mess created in the past.

Sunita Arora Shah, one of the residents who has led the efforts to secure the alley, said: “Once the alley is clean, we want to give it the makeover it deserves and make it an extension of our homes and gardens.

 “It’s excellent that we as a local community are taking active steps to improve where we live. 

“After all, if we don’t take responsibility, who will?”

The clean-up starts this morning at 11am.