From the Bristol Evening Post
WASTELAND CLEANED UP
26 February 2007
Work on the first project of the Evening Post's Spring Clean campaign has been completed.A subway and a piece of wasteland at Station Road in Ashley Down have been cleared of graffiti and flytipping.
The work has been carried out because the area was the first chosen by Bristol City Council's Clean and Green team, with whom the Evening Post is working, for a makeover.
Denise James, the team's project officer, said she was delighted with the work that had been done.
She said: "It went really well, all the graffiti has been removed from the subway.
"A number of local residents indicated it might be a good idea to look at the possibility of putting in a mural in the subway.
"Now the subway has been cleaned there might be further graffiti 'tagging', and people feel a mural might prevent that.
"We will be talking to Network Rail, who owns the land, about it."
The area was nominated by resident Cynthia Liebling, 63, of Station Road.
When the Evening Post interviewed her about the area at the time, she said the subway tunnel was dark, filthy and covered in graffiti.
She said: "The main problem is the subway, and the wall along the side of the railway line, which are covered in graffiti and are absolutely foul.
"All the children from Ashley Down who attend the new Fairfield school use the subway to get to Muller Road, and it is not very nice for them to see.
"It is just a very dismal area."
The wasteland had became known as a place to dump old mattresses, fencing and trolleys. She said: "It is accumulating rubbish week by week. A path goes across it, used by walkers and cyclists."
Now the Clean and Green team believe the area deserves to stay clean.
Ms James said: "We finished the work a day ahead of schedule, and it looks good now, ready for when the children go back to school. We hope people will appreciate the work that has been done.
"The residents nearby were really on board for this project, they came down and talked to the crew, and said well done.
"They were really positive."
Work on the second project, clearing a back lane behind homes in Belmont Road, Brislington, begins today.
The Evening Post asked readers to nominate local grot spots they would like to see cleaned up with the help of the council's Clean and Green team. Two more areas will receive makeovers in coming weeks