Street cleaning

The London Borough of Bromley manages more than 36,000 street trees, with countless additional privately owned trees overhanging the public highway. These contribute significantly to the borough's green and attractive environment, but during autumn, falling leaves can accumulate on roads, footways and other public areas, particularly in locations with high concentrations of trees.

To help keep streets clean and safe, the council operates an annual autumn leaf clearance programme alongside its regular street cleansing service. The programme’s additional resources focus on areas where leaf fall is heaviest, while routine cleansing continues across the borough throughout the season.

The autumn leaf clearance programme begins around October and runs throughout the main leaf-fall period. The programme is kept under review and may be adjusted in response to seasonal conditions and local need.

As leaves continue to fall throughout autumn, some areas may require repeat visits and leaves can reappear shortly after an area has been cleared. Locations not requiring enhanced leaf clearance will continue to be maintained through the council's normal street cleansing service.

What can you do?

Leaves can be disposed of by home composting or through our Green Garden Waste scheme or taken to our refuse and recycling centres.

Please do not sweep leaves from your property onto the public highway, as this can contribute to leaf accumulations and blocked drains.

If you notice leaves covering road gullies or highway drains, please consider clearing them where it is safe to do so, or report the issue to the council. Taking this simple step can help reduce the risk of standing water and localised flooding.

Report a problem

If you are concerned about significant accumulations of leaves on the public highway, please let us know. Reports help us identify locations that may require attention.