10 July 2007

Streets in Guildford Town Centre will have a new sparkle, thanks to a new machine which uses steam power to remove unsightly chewing gum from the town's pavements.

Cllr Terence Patrick, Lead Cllr for Healthy Living says: "Guildford is a town which takes pride in its appearance and this new machine will help improve that even further. The machine will enable us to steam clean streets around the town centre to remove gum in a way which saves time and is more cost efficient. People often forget that chewing gum is litter when dropped on the floor, and that they could face a Fixed Penalty Notice of £50."

The new machine means staff can now work to clear gum deposits at any time of the day, thanks to easy access to some of the narrow streets leading off the High Street. The area to be worked on will be safely coned off, to allow two operatives to use the machine at the same time meaning a quick and speedy clean up for any sticky situations.

No harmful chemicals are used in the cleaning process, which uses dry steam to break up the gum.

Find out more information about Cleansing Services.