Page 4 | London and surrounding area has become so unkempt

GrubbyTowns · 2026-04-21T15:58:19+00:00

Rubbish strewn everywhere. All the verges full of cans, takeout detritus. London and the southeast generally just seems so unkempt to where it was a few years ago even. Just came back from a trip to Liverpool and the contrast was incredible. A busy city but so clean! Why is this?

TheGoldenOwl · 21/04/2026 19:31

GrubbyTowns · 21/04/2026 18:17

I think it is people not giving a shit, a real shift in culture. Plus council budgets, I volunteer with a local litter picking group. It’s depressing, we put a dent in clearing it, the next week it’s covered in coffee cups, sandwich packets and cans. Thrown out of cars, or just left there. Don’t get me started on fly tipping, I’d bring back the stocks for those fuckers.

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Yes it really angers me when people drive theough our beautiful little village and chuck rubbish out of their window 🤬🤬🤬🤬🤬

Crikeyalmighty · 21/04/2026 19:27

BillieWiper · 21/04/2026 19:23

Wow, all of it?! That's not very good is it. I think it very much depends on the borough. It's a pretty big place to make such a sweeping generalisation about as a visitor.

Of course busy touristy areas are quite messy with litter etc. And some outer boroughs experience illegal flytipping. But there's plenty of places which seem perfectly normal and are not especially grubby.

Indeed - we get a fair bit of rubbish here in Bath but I see the council out every morning and evening with the sweepers and sprayers, the main issue it seems are people and a lot of tourists , we have issues with seagulls too and London with pigeons, I think unfortunately this contributes

Thechaseison71 · 21/04/2026 19:26

springandeaster · 21/04/2026 18:53

I find London to be clean. My local outer London borough doesn't seem to have any rubbish around. I see street sweepers regularly in the High Streets. The inner London borough where I used to live had a very small amount of rubbish. I don't see rubbish when I go to central London.
I do see a lot of rubbish when I visit a seaside town in the south east - I won't name it.

Southend by any chance?

Crikeyalmighty · 21/04/2026 19:24

Fooledaroundandfellinlove · 21/04/2026 19:15

I don’t think so. Look at Birmingham if you want to see a really dirty city.

Bristol too

BillieWiper · 21/04/2026 19:23

Wow, all of it?! That's not very good is it. I think it very much depends on the borough. It's a pretty big place to make such a sweeping generalisation about as a visitor.

Of course busy touristy areas are quite messy with litter etc. And some outer boroughs experience illegal flytipping. But there's plenty of places which seem perfectly normal and are not especially grubby.

Lovelyview · 21/04/2026 19:22

I've lived in the North East for most of my life. I do think A road verges are definitely more choked with rubbish than they used to be. Town centres aren't so bad. I do encourage people to report litter to the local authority. They have a statutory duty to clean it up and usually have a form to report it on their website.

AbsolutelyOuting · 21/04/2026 19:19

I'm miles from London, and it's the same here. Really gone downhill over the past decade. More recently it's slightly better as the council are making huge effort to clean up, but the amount of rubbish strewn around in the first place is just as terrible.

Interested to see it's country-wide.

Long term Labour council (and ward) if that matters!

EasternStandard · 21/04/2026 19:18

GrubbyTowns · 21/04/2026 19:06

Yes. I’ve been called a rascist for daring to discuss the rubbish strewing across much of London and the SE- who knew?

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Bizarre. That tricky rubbish.

LakieLady · 21/04/2026 19:15

Heatedrival · 21/04/2026 18:52

It’s lovely where I live.

Same where I live, too - small, historic town in the South Downs. There are loads of litter bins in the town centre and people use them.

Occasionally groups of teens will congregate on one of the green spaces and leave bottles, cans etc, but either the council or local litter pickers clear it pretty quickly.

Fooledaroundandfellinlove · 21/04/2026 19:15

I don’t think so. Look at Birmingham if you want to see a really dirty city.

Zanatdy · 21/04/2026 19:15

LBFseBrom · 21/04/2026 19:12

Depends when you live in the London area, it's OK around my way. I'm sure Liverpool has some dirty bits, every city has.

It definitely does. Like you say, all cities do, and Liverpool certainly has the less desirable / dirty parts too.

Zanatdy · 21/04/2026 19:14

I’m just over the South London border into Surrey by 1 mile and the fly tipping is terrible.

Notonthestairs · 21/04/2026 19:14

Rubbish is certainly noticeable along my nearest motorway.
But my town council seems to be broadly on top of local stuff.
Monday morning in our local park is always clean up day for our refuse collectors. It is extraordinary how lazy some people must be even when there are bins to hand.

hahabahbag · 21/04/2026 19:14

My town is clean but only because local people meet weekly to clear up after the tourists and less community minded residents who drop litter. I call people out who drop litter and I often get a tirade of abuse back. Use the bins folks!!! The verges of the motorway however are disgusting, why throw things out of your window?

Rubyupbeat · 21/04/2026 19:13

My part of greater London has a good council for any type of refuse, we have weekly bin collections for garden waste, rubbish and recycling. They clear any reported fly tipping within 3 days and you can book large collections for free ie beds, sofas etc......

LBFseBrom · 21/04/2026 19:12

Depends when you live in the London area, it's OK around my way. I'm sure Liverpool has some dirty bits, every city has.

Coffeeandbooks88 · 21/04/2026 19:11

GrubbyTowns · 21/04/2026 19:07

Grubby or clean? I want to know what Liverpool are doing to get it so right.

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Grubby. Liverpool probably gets more council funding.

Newmeagain · 21/04/2026 19:11

Hmm - I think there is quite a lot of variation. I love my part of North London but yes, it has become a bit unkept and dirty looking. I find it a bit embarrassing and sad.

GenieGenealogy · 21/04/2026 19:09

I haven't been in London for years but the litter is definitely an issue here in Glasgow. Most noticeable at motorway sliproads where pond life people lob their fast food wrappers and cans out of the car.

Original poster

GrubbyTowns · 21/04/2026 19:09

LakieLady · 21/04/2026 19:07

My MIL lives on a council estate on the very edge of Croydon, so not posh at all.

Her road and the surrounding ones always look really neat and tidy, with the verges all neatly trimmed. Mind you, they've started charging residents for cutting the verges, it's only £38 a year for MIL because she's on pension credit, I've no idea how much it is for people who have to pay the full amount.

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That’s good to hear. It’s heartwarming to hear there are areas people are happy with. Almost everywhere I visit is awful.

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Carryitjoyfully · 21/04/2026 19:07

BIWI · 21/04/2026 17:25

So you're familiar with all of London are you @GrubbyTowns?

I can assure you that where I live this isn't true at all. The council is hyper vigilant about street cleaning and preventing fly tipping.

Mine too. A lone piece of paper flew up the street on recycling day and someone picked it up immediately. The council respond to reports of fly tipping within hours.

Original poster

GrubbyTowns · 21/04/2026 19:07

Coffeeandbooks88 · 21/04/2026 19:06

We live in Yorkshire. It is the same here.

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Grubby or clean? I want to know what Liverpool are doing to get it so right.

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LakieLady · 21/04/2026 19:07

GrubbyTowns · 21/04/2026 17:37

Pretty good, my whole life plus work. I do notice the posher areas are kept better. The suburbs are a disgrace. Motorways full of rubbish.

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My MIL lives on a council estate on the very edge of Croydon, so not posh at all.

Her road and the surrounding ones always look really neat and tidy, with the verges all neatly trimmed. Mind you, they've started charging residents for cutting the verges, it's only £38 a year for MIL because she's on pension credit, I've no idea how much it is for people who have to pay the full amount.

Original poster

GrubbyTowns · 21/04/2026 19:06

EasternStandard · 21/04/2026 19:03

Oh I see this is why you’re getting grief op.

It’s a shame to see we have more litter here.

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Yes. I’ve been called a rascist for daring to discuss the rubbish strewing across much of London and the SE- who knew?

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Coffeeandbooks88 · 21/04/2026 19:06

SunMoonandChocolate · 21/04/2026 17:03

Interestingly it seems the same in the South, as lots of the towns here are not only covered in rubbish, but also Councils appear to have been neglecting the grass verges etc., for a long time now, so everything looks really grubby and down at heel. I'm interested to hear that it's not like that in Liverpool, I wonder why?

We live in Yorkshire. It is the same here.