Traders threatened with court action in graffiti blitz

SHOPKEEPERS who sell spray paint to under-16s face fines of £2,500, Richmond upon Thames Council have warned.

Their threat came as they vowed to maintain a zero tolerance approach to graffiti in the borough, using a number of initiatives.

Currently more than £250,000 is spent annually by Richmond council on removing unsightly graffiti and flyposting from the borough's streets. The top priority of the three teams is the removal of racist and other offensive scrawl.

Now they plan to alert traders to the law banning over the counter sales of aerosol paint sprays to children, in a new bid to combat the scourge of graffiti by making it more difficult to get their kit.

Trading Standards officers will then use under-age volunteers to make test purchases and unmask any traders who are prepared to break the law.

Cabinet member for environment and planning Cllr David Marlow, said: "We are determined to try and prevent spray paints getting into the hands of under-16s and so restrict the opportunities for graffiti vandalism. We want to work with traders on this and make them fully aware of their responsibilities, so that there is absolutely no excuse for breaking the law.

"We want to erase the stain of graffiti from our streets and buildings in line with our pledge to make Richmond the safest, greenest and cleanest borough in London under our civic pride strategy. And ensuring that spray-can wielding yobs don't get their hands on the 'tools of the trade' is one key element."

As part of their pledge to become more proactive on the issue, the council also launched a scheme in which traders pay £2 a week for the removal of graffiti defacing their property, which is said to be becoming popular. Richmond is also the first borough in the country which has signed an agreement with Telewest and Network Rail, allowing the removal of graffiti from their property.

A graffiti officer has also been appointed, who is working closely with the police, town centre managers and the many other agencies committed to combating the vandalism.

Leader of the borough's Lib Dems Cllr Serge Lourie said: "We strongly support this initiative by the council, indeed we created a voluntary code of conduct for traders. Graffiti is a blight on our beautiful borough and must be stamped out. Shopkeepers have a vital role in stopping spray paints from getting into the wrong hands."

If you would like to report traders breaking the law on spray paint sales, or illegal sales of other products to under-age children, you call Richmond council Trading Standards on 020 8891 7770. All calls will be treated in confidence.

If you are a business that would like to sign up to the graffiti clean up scheme call 020 8891 7363.