Cleaning crew to hit Riverhead Bus Station in bid to clear rubbish and spruce up the area

A cleaning crew will be heading to Grimsby’s Riverhead Bus Station to rid the area of waste and refresh its bus stops and seating areas.

Social enterprise firm Empower will rally a team of sweepers, cleaners and litter pickers to do a meticulous spring clean.

It follows ongoing vandalism and antisocial behaviour within some of the town centre’s bus stops, especially those directly outside The Barge pub and nearest the Post Office.

Cleaners will remove any hazardous items they may discover, which could include objects buried deep below the slats or unpleasant rubbish such as chewing gum and cigarette ends.

The cleaning crew will get to work on Tuesday 25 and Wednesday 26 January vacuuming out debris, sweeping up, wiping down and sanitising the wooden surfaces.

Safety barriers will be in place while work is underway and sheeting will be put down to prevent spillage or injury to the public and staff.

Empower is a partnership of public sector and voluntary organisations which provide a range of services to people who are ex-offenders or unemployed.

Cllr Ron Shepherd, portfolio holder for safer and stronger communities at North East Lincolnshire Council, said: “This area can be prone to antisocial behaviour and vandalism, which often leads to unsafe or undesirable items being discarded or wedged deep in the benches.

“I know the fantastic team at Empower will do a thorough job of rejuvenating the Riverhead Bus Station’s seating areas so that passengers can enjoy cleaner bus stops while waiting for their service to arrive. The town centre should be a safe, clean space for all to enjoy and go about their business.”

Members of the public are encouraged to do their bit by putting litter in the bin, but people are urged to report any unsafe waste to the council by calling (01472) 313131.