State of Ealing Borough's Streets 'Worst in Thirty Years'
Resident collects three sacks from his road to take to the tip
Cllr Malcolm with Mr Eklof on Fielding Road.
October 4, 2025
A Chiswick resident has taken matters into his own hands over what he describes as the deteriorating condition of local streets, highlighting growing public frustration with street cleanliness across Ealing borough. The issue is fast becoming a focal point in the run-up to next May’s local elections, with the Liberal Democrats positioning clean streets as a central plank of their campaign.
John Eklof, who lives on Fielding Road in Bedford Park, recently swept a 20-yard stretch outside his home, collecting three rubble sacks of leaves and grime. He transported the waste to Greenford Road recycling centre himself, citing the closure of the Stirling Road site in Acton—shut by Ealing Council as part of cost-saving measures—as a further barrier to responsible disposal.
“As a resident here for over 30 years, I’ve seen the state of the streets get worse every year,” said Mr Eklof. “They are now at an all-time low. The Council hasn’t swept or cleaned the streets all year, and the amount of muck and detritus is unacceptable. Almost the whole area of Bedford Park is an eyesore. Ealing Council is failing in its duty to keep our environment clean—and we haven’t even had this year’s leaf drop yet.”
Mr Eklof’s concerns reflect wider dissatisfaction with street maintenance in the borough. Critics argue that reduced investment in universal services such as sweeping and litter removal has led to a visible decline in public spaces. According to opposition figures, Ealing Council has halved its budget for these services over the past five years.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Gary Malcolm, Leader of the Opposition on Ealing Council, has been vocal on the issue. He recently visited Fielding Road and described the pavements as “covered in leaves and dirt,” adding that “the streets look like they haven’t been touched for probably a year.”
“The Labour-run Ealing Council says it’s doing a good job, but large volumes of residents say the opposite,” said Cllr Malcolm. “It shouldn’t take a councillor to report repeated issues to officers. Labour is failing badly in this area and needs to apologise to residents.”
The Liberal Democrats have long campaigned on improving street cleanliness, and with local elections approaching in May 2026, they appear to be sharpening their focus on this issue as a key differentiator. Party literature and public statements increasingly frame clean streets as a matter of civic pride, public health, and basic service delivery.
Ealing Council maintains that street cleaning remains a priority. A spokesperson said that Fielding Road, like most roads in the borough, receives fortnightly litter removal and that cleaning schedules are adjusted seasonally, with more frequent cleansing in leafy areas during autumn.
“We carry out a mixture of proactive, reactive and intelligence-led cleaning throughout the year,” the spokesperson said. “The latest independent assessments found that on average 90% of our streets are free of litter or debris.”
The Council also pointed to its “This is our home, not a tip” campaign launched in June, which allocated additional resources to tackle fly-tipping. It claims the initiative has led to reductions in targeted areas. In addition, more than 1,700 residents participated in last year’s leaf-clearing scheme, which provides bags and brushes and arranges collection of bagged material.
While the Council welcomes community involvement, residents like Mr Eklof argue that voluntary schemes should not substitute for core services. “It’s not enough to rely on goodwill,” he said. “We need a properly funded and accountable system.”
As autumn progresses and leaf fall increases, the condition of Ealing’s streets is likely to remain under scrutiny.
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