7:00am Saturday 16th August 2008
By David Horne
Three major fast food outlets have agreed to step up litter patrols to combat the "unacceptable" piles of rubbish blighting Oxford's busiest street.
McDonald's, KFC and Burger King have agreed to join forces with Oxford City Council to provide half-hourly litter picks along Cornmarket Street.
Two weeks ago the Oxford Mail printed pictures showing overflowing bins as well as packaging and drink cartons from McDonald's dumped all over the pavement and a bench outside the popular fast food restaurant.
From Monday, the three companies have agreed to patrol enlarged zones near their stores, co-ordinated with the council's own hourly litter picks - meaning the entire street will be cleaned every 30 minutes.
The council's street scene manager Dave Huddle said: "I'm delighted we have got this agreement. Cornmarket is the main thoroughfare in Oxford so, along with Radcliffe Square, it's the jewel in the crown of where we need to protect.
"McDonald's, KFC and Burger King are all on board, but now we want the other fast food outlets to buy into this, to share the burden.
"I don't think any of these outlets would want to be associated with the litter we saw.
"It's great to have the big corporate names on board and the street should really see the benefit of this."
Mr Huddle said he was also hoping to put recycling bins on the street to ease the burden on the council's eight Cornmarket litter bins and the two provided by McDonald's.
Mr Huddle is also talking to KFC and Burger King about providing bins.
Ian Howard, McDonald's business manager for the Cornmarket Street restaurant, said: "Our litter picking is going to be stepped up.
"The streets did look a mess. We all work there, so we have all got to take responsibility to keep it as tidy as possible, because it benefits everybody.
"If everyone looks after their patch, Cornmarket will be a lot tidier."
Assistant manager Amy Douglas said: "McDonald's have always provided their own bins and I think more fast-food retailers should."
John Tanner, the council's executive member for a cleaner city, said: "The litter outside was unacceptable and quite a mess. Cornmarket is starting to look a lot tidier and I'm very pleased."
Liz Storrar, chairman of Oxclean, part of Oxford Civic Society, said: "This is terrific news. I would like to congratulate the council and the fast food retailers for this initiative.
"In my generation, it was expected that shopkeepers swept their own pavement regularly.
"Now we need more retailers to follow this lead and make Cornmarket cleaner."
© Copyright 2001-2010 Newsquest Media Group
http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk