A new three person team, supported by additional specialist machinery, is helping to keep Derby’s streets cleaner and weed free.

The additional resources form part of a £155,000 investment to strengthen Derby’s weed control and street cleaning services, providing more people and machinery to deliver a more targeted approach.

In May 2026, the Council launched a dedicated targeted weed clearance team to remove weeds, soil and debris from kerbs, pavement edges in difficult to reach areas.

The services already have quad bikes and mechanical sweepers, but accessing harder-to-reach areas can be a challenge, limiting where teams can sweep or spray. The three additional full-time equivalent staff work together to access restricted areas, including moving obstructions where possible and hand-spraying areas which cannot be reached by standard machinery.

The additional footway sweeper and all terrain quad bike give the team further support to work more quickly and efficiently, helping to improve the appearance and accessibility of pavements for wheelchair users, mobility scooters and parents with pushchairs. The investment builds on wider improvements to the city’s grounds maintenance and street cleaning services, including two new tractors and five ride-on mowers earlier this year.

Councillor Ndukwe Onuoha, Cabinet Member for Streetpride, Parks and Leisure, said:

Keeping our streets clean and looking their best is important to all of us in Derby, and this additional team is making a real difference by allowing us to take a more targeted approach in areas that can be challenging to reach. The three members of the team work alongside specialist machinery to clear obstructions where possible, tackle weeds by hand and reach places that other equipment cannot.

This investment gives our teams the extra people and equipment they need to work more efficiently and improve more of Derby’s residential streets. It is a great example of how investing in our frontline services can make a visible difference to the city.”

To learn more about how we are keeping Derby safe and clean, visit our Streetpride webpage.