Failure to tackle graffiti

Wandsworth,England,UK

Graffiti which blights East Putney is no nearer to being removed despite being placed top of the Government's antisocial behaviour agenda for the next five years.

People living near the defaced trackside at East Putney Station and Granville Road bridge have been complaining about graffiti since March 2002.

But the problem has not been solved because no one has claimed responsibility for cleaning it up.

Wandsworth Council, which initially responded to complaints in March 2002, has tried to get London Underground (LU) and Metronet, which owns the bridge, to remove the graffiti, or allow it to do so.

The council's graffiti manager, Debbie Coady has written letters and set up meetings, but so far nothing has happened.

"We have been trying for over two years to provide a solution to the problems, which is the responsibility of London Underground, but our efforts to negotiate with it have been fruitless," said a council spokesman.

"It is a frustrating situation in that LU contractors have no obligation to remove graffiti in between stations.

"Although we are willing to assist with graffiti removal where we can, we have been unable despite making numerous representations to LU to secure the relevant permissions from them."

A spokesman for Metronet said it was under no contractual obligation to clean graffiti in areas other than the station itself or on trains.

Mike Smith, of the Southfields Triangle Residents' Association, said: "Shop owners have to clean it up, why not Metronet? The concern is it gets worse."

An LU spokesman responded to allegations of inaction over the graffiti, saying: "We have not forgotten or ignored this problem, but we have to prioritise.

"There was under-investment in the underground for many years and our priorities are the tracks, trains and stations."

He said there would eventually be programmes put in place to deal with graffiti, but for now the public would have to "bear with us".The Conservative parliamentary spokesman for Putney, Justine Greening, has also criticised the lack of action by LU and has written to Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone.