Oxford's streets 'gum-free' following £26k clean-up

The clean-up was carried out by ODS on behalf of Oxford City Council with funding from the Chewing Gum Task Force.

Having begun in the summer, it targeted key city centre streets which experience high footfall, including George Street, New Inn Hall Street, Carfax, Queens Street, parts of St Ebbes, High Street, and St Aldates down to Christchurch Meadows.

The project also involved a deep-clean of the pavements and steam-cleaning of street furniture.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth, cabinet member for business, culture, and an inclusive economy, said: "I’m pleased to see our city centre streets gum-free thanks to the hard work of ODS - a big thank you to them.

Councillor Alex Hollingsworth (Image: Jon Lewis) "The team's hard work over the past few months, starting early and adapting around large events and extreme weather conditions, doesn't go unnoticed.

"I hope the clean streets and new disposal guidance will inspire people to keep the streets tidy by properly disposing of their gum in the future."

The ODS street cleaning team worked early mornings to minimise disruption, adapting their schedule to work around extreme weather conditions and major events, such as St Giles’ Fair and the Oxford Half Marathon.

The process of removing the gum is both time and labour intensive, and in the worst affected areas it took up to 30 minutes to clean just 1.5 square metres, which was then followed by a mechanical sweeper to eliminate any stains left by the gum.

The council said no chemicals were used during the clean-up to keep "in line" with its "commitment to sustainability".

ODS completed the work using a repurposed 1973 electric milk float, named Earnie.

Adrian Moss, city centre and streetscenes service manager at ODS, said: "We're thrilled to be working on behalf of Oxford City Council, which received the Chewing Gum Task Force grant from Keep Britain Tidy for a second consecutive year.

"The funding helps improve the appearance of our historic streets and supports the city’s sustainability goals, using our repurposed electric milk float.

"Chewing gum litter affects the beauty and accessibility of Oxford, and last year's clean-up showed promising results.

"We're committed to working with the council to make a lasting impact and keep our city clean for everyone."

The £26,500 grant from the Chewing Gum Task Force was administered by Keep Britain Tidy.

The funding supports both the immediate clean-up and long-term behaviour change to reduce future gum littering.

Educational materials have been distributed to promote proper gum disposal and assist in maintaining the cleanliness of Oxford’s streets.