Slough Arm 'ruined' by graffiti and overflowing bins

Diane Richards, founding member of Friends of Slough Canal, was walking along the Slough Arm when she found litter sprayed across the floor and vandalism on Sunday, May 22.

The Friends of Slough Canal is a group of volunteering who look after the Slough Arm area of the canal.

Mrs Richards said: “It’s horrible to see this along the canal, it’s plain unpleasant.

“The Slough Arm is a hidden gem, and since covid we’ve had a lot of people discover it to go for a nice walk but it’s starting to feel unsafe.”

Mrs Richards said the graffiti on Trenches bridges has got worse in recent months.

“It’s a historic bridge and it’s just been ruined with all this graffiti over it, we as volunteers just don’t have the capacity or equipment to be able to clear it away,” she added.

“It’s causing people to feel a lack of enthusiasm and we’re just starting to think what’s the point in picking up someone else’s litter?”

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Mrs Richards said she thinks daily patrols by police officers may deter people from littering or vandalising the bridge.

A Canal & River Trust spokesperson said: “We are aware of this issue and, while we do not believe the litter bin is one provided by the Trust or that our charity is responsible for, we have arranged for the mess to be cleared up in this instance.

“Our team will also be speaking with nearby businesses to encourage staff using the site at lunchtimes to take their litter away with them.

“The Trust is responsible for over 2,000 miles of waterways across England and Wales and must prioritise the clear-up of graffiti which is offensive or damaging to listed structures.”

Mrs Richards added the Slough Arm can be a beautiful place to walk along and here's a picture to show that:

The Friends of Slough Canal volunteers usually meet for a monthly litter pick and Mrs Richards said people are welcome to join the group on Facebook and Twitter.