This event has been postponed! We will be in touch once a new date has been rescheduled.

About the event

At this event, you’ll hear about our research into London’s street clutter issue, which explores who has power to declutter London’s streets and the barriers to keeping them safe, accessible, and attractive. 

A panel of experts will respond to our ideas and debate the way forward.  

Expect the discussion to include:  

• How cluttered are central London’s streets? 
• What are the negative impacts on street users and local businesses? 
• What are the drivers of street clutter? 
• How are other global cities dealing with street clutter? 

This event will be in-person only. It will include a short presentation of the research findings, followed by a panel discussion and audience Q&A before networking and refreshments. 

Interested in attending? Register your interest here. 

About the research

London has a street clutter problem. It is making our capital city a worse place for residents, workers, visitors and businesses alike.

Earlier this month, we launched a report that quantified the scale of this problem and set out policy solutions to address it. Key issues we identified include:  

• Moveable advertising boards, known as ‘A boards’, are the most common kind of clutter. They are most often found on shopping streets with high footfall and cause particular challenges for people with visual impairments. Our report calls for the GLA to introduce a city-wide ban on A boards.   
• Dockless e-bikes, when poorly parked or abandoned on the pavement, are a growing concern. But current lack of legislation from national government means local authorities are limited in their ability to introduce requirements for bikes to be parked in dedicated bays.  
• Phone boxes in London, particularly those which are not heritage assets, are too often in severe states of disrepair and disuse. Local authorities need stronger powers to remove them.  

Concern around this issue is widespread and growing. The report has already received coverage from BBC London, ITV London and the Evening Standard and we hope to use this event to continue to build momentum around this critical topic.