Harlow Council has launched a new programme to clean every sign, bollard and item of highways furniture across the town - helping improve how streets look and making signage clearer and easier for residents, visitors and emergency services to navigate.
Teams are working in every neighbourhood to wash down signs, bollards and highways furniture that many of which have become dirty or difficult to see, giving them a thorough clean.
This simple but effective work improves visibility and contributes to a cleaner, better‑maintained street environment.
The programme is running alongside the council’s Street Scene Priority Taskforce, which continues to clear abandoned roadwork signs, rusty posts, damaged railings, rogue estate agent boards, old sandbags and traffic cones.
These improvements are part of a wider package of initiatives by Harlow Council to “renew our neighbourhoods” and address long‑standing maintenance gaps not being met by Essex County Council.
Commenting on the programme, Councillor Nicky Purse, Cabinet Member for Environment, said:
“We have been stepping in to take care of the everyday infrastructure that shapes how our town looks and feels - from highway signs to railings, bollards and drainage. These may seem like small things, but together they make a big difference in restoring pride in every street and neighbourhood.
“The new highway sign‑cleaning programme builds on the work of our Street Scene Priority Taskforce, the recent improvements to our underpasses, and the autumn and winter programme of clearing gullies and drains to keep our town safe from flooding.
“We are leaving no stone unturned as we renew our neighbourhoods and Build Harlow’s Future, including addressing the long‑standing issues that haven’t been tackled by the county council.”