Swindon Borough Council has faced criticism after launching a programme to power-wash town centre pavements while a Thames Water hosepipe ban remains in force. The council announced that pedestrian areas across Swindon town centre are being pressure-washed as part of its “Big Town Centre Clean-Up”, with work beginning at Wharf Green. Pictures published by the authority show workers using pressure-washing equipment to clean paved areas. The timing has prompted criticism because households affected by the restrictions are being told to limit certain uses of water during the hosepipe ban.
Council says cleaning is exempt from ban
Swindon Borough Council anticipated the issue in its announcement, specifically stating that the work is permitted despite the restrictions. The council said:
“Over the coming weeks, teams will be power-washing key areas between 6am and 8.30am, before shops open. This activity is exempt from the Thames Water hosepipe ban.”
The wider clean-up programme also includes graffiti removal, paving repairs and weed clearance. However, the decision to continue pressure-washing during restrictions has attracted criticism from residents questioning the optics of using significant quantities of water to clean pavements while the public faces restrictions.
Comments switched off
Comments on the council’s Facebook post appear to have been disabled, preventing further public responses directly beneath the announcement. The move has added to criticism surrounding the clean-up, although the screenshot itself does not establish why comments were disabled, so it would be safest journalistically not to state as fact that they were switched off because of the backlash unless the council confirms that. UKNIP has approached Swindon Borough Council for clarification over the decision to carry out the power-washing during the restrictions and the reason comments were disabled on the post.
Originally published by UKNIP.
