Roads & Footways

Our mechanical and manual sweepers clean the Outer Circle, terrace roadways and their footways on a regular basis throughout the week. Regent’s Park is a very popular venue for visitors, particularly during the summer months. We aim to maintain good standards of street cleanliness at all times. If you feel an area does not meet appropriate standards, please report it to us.

The provision and maintenance of street lighting around the Outer Circle and in the residential terraces of the estate is the Commission’s responsibility. This does not include traffic lights and those at pedestrian crossings managed by Transport for London. The Commission prepares regular lighting defect reports and makes regular repairs. There is also a programme of lighting refurbishment on-going in some locations.

The range and style of street lighting on the estate is wide and many pieces of street furniture are listed because of their age and historic interest. This means that street lighting is not necessarily as regularly placed across the estate as is the case in other areas of London. Only one side of the Outer Circle pavement is lit as matter of policy in order to preserve the special character of the estate, since Regent’s Park itself is only open in daylight hours.

If you find a street light that has failed or has been damaged, please report it to our office.

The Commission carries out periodic weed spraying during the spring and summer months to maintain our footways as free of weeds as possible. If you notice any areas where weed growth is not being kept in check, please report them to us.

Many properties on the estate have coalholes set into the pavement outside their front doors. These iron covers were designed to allow for the delivery of coal directly into bunkers positioned in householder’s vaults under the pavements. These coalholes may still open into resident’s vaults or may have been blocked up to prevent water ingress and damp.

Residents should note that the pavement surface does not and cannot provide a waterproof barrier to prevent damp penetrating into under-pavement vaults. Although the Commission aims to keep its pavements in a good condition, it is the responsibility of lessees to provide and maintain in good repair any damp proofing within their vaults.

Some of the coalholes are listed features of the estate and each is the responsibility of the respective lessee to maintain, despite their location within the Commission’s footway. They should not be removed or altered in any way without appropriate permissions.