Council crews started power-washing the paved areas of Swindon town centre on Monday 10 August 2026, beginning at Wharf Green. The cleaning ran from 6am to 8.30am on weekdays and was due to move on to other parts of the town centre over the following weeks, Swindon Borough Council said.
What else was in the clean-up?
- Paving: the week before, teams began repairing paving at Wharf Green made uneven by tree roots, with repairs elsewhere being scheduled.
- Weeds: the whole town centre had a weed-control treatment at the end of June.
- Graffiti: teams were finding and removing graffiti and responding to reports made through the council's website.
- Volunteers: 180 volunteer slots had been booked for sessions in the last two weeks of August, covering litter-picking, bench restoration, flower beds and graffiti removal. A British Gas team signed up to clear waste from inside the tented market on Market Street.
Who owns the town centre?
The council said about 95 per cent of town centre land and buildings is privately owned. It had written to commercial owners, and to residential owners and landlords, about maintaining their property, and said formal enforcement could follow where properties kept harming the area.
It was also progressing proposals to raise fixed penalties for fly-tipping from £400 to £1,000.
Councillor Kevin Parry, Cabinet Member for Recycling and Streetscene, said: "Every improvement matters."
Source: Swindon Borough Council.