Graffiti is removed after 133 days

10:43am Tuesday 13th May 2008

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GRAFFITI daubed on the historic Nightingale bridge in Frampton Cotterell has finally been removed - 133 days after it first appeared.

The landmark bridge is a popular beauty spot, frequented by many visitors enjoying the beautiful Frome Valley, and this was the third attack it has suffered in just two years.

South Gloucestershire Council's streetcare department has a three day target for clearing graffiti from public property.

Cllr David Hockey pointed out to a meeting of the Communities Select Committee last week that the council's target of just three days to clear such graffiti was in tatters.

"I reported the graffiti to a senior officer as soon as it appeared, just after Christmas," Cllr Hockey explained.

"On March 18, I got fed up with waiting and resubmitted the complaint.

"More than seven weeks later the graffiti still had not been removed."

However, South Gloucestershire Council has defended its record on graffiti clearance.

A council spokeswoman said: "Last year the council received 188 reports of graffiti on council land, of which 181 were removed within the target of three working days.

"With this particular incident the graffiti removal team were prevented from removing it on several occasions, due to flooding and wet conditions.

"The current dry spell has now enabled us to remove the graffiti."