Three parts of Luton are being given a specialist clean-up after the town was selected for a national scheme tackling chewing gum litter.
The council has been awarded funding from Keep Britain Tidy as part of a £1.2 million programme shared between 50 councils across the UK.
Three locations have been identified as priorities after council officers assessed 22 sites across Luton for the amount of chewing gum on pavements and the number of people using the areas.
They are the shops parade on Wigmore Lane, Bute Street by Hat Gardens and the shops parade on Riddy Lane.
Each site will receive a three-day treatment aimed not only at removing existing chewing gum but also at preventing it from building up again.
On the first day, council officers will speak to residents and use chalk spray to mark existing pieces of gum on the pavement, showing the scale of the problem.
Specialist equipment will then be used to remove the gum on the second day, before an eco-friendly, non-toxic solution is sprayed onto the pavement on the third day to make it harder for new gum to stick.
New signs and bin stickers featuring simple messaging and animal designs will also be introduced at the three locations, while local shops have been offered window stickers to show their support for the clean-up.
Councillor Javeria Hussain, Cabinet Member for Public Realm and Sustainable Transport, said: “Chewing gum is one of the most persistent and expensive types of litter to remove, and it’s something residents tell us really bothers them.
“This funding means we can clean up these hotspot areas properly and put prevention measures in place so the problem doesn’t just come back.
“It’s exactly the kind of practical action at the heart of our Getting It Done campaign – tackling issues that matter to residents and making a visible difference in our communities.”
The council will monitor the three locations in the months following the treatment.
If chewing gum levels remain low, it intends to apply for further Keep Britain Tidy funding next year to extend the scheme to more locations across Luton.
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