Neighbours’ children’s toys strewn across public lawns
Various residents of Verona Drive, Surbiton KT6 do not pick up after their children when they play on the public lawns in the neighbourhood. Since spring 2026, of a daily basis there are scooters, bikes, child push carts, footballs, goal posts, table tennis table, football table and various other toys (broken and functional) left lying about the grass. I love that children can come together and play safely in the street- this is not the complaint. But the parents do not make sure the area is left clean afterwards. It’s unsightly and since even broken things are not disposed of as there’s no parental oversight of the area’s use, this becomes a waste. I have reported these things as fly tipping but receive responses that the area is private land, which it is not- the council pay to cut the grass and maintain the area. This also extends to several residents who also leave large items of furniture and bags of old belongings on the pavement for weeks, presumably in hope someone will want it. These have been taken away usually when I report fly tipping but this just enables the careless attitude of many of the Verona residents. Can we have a public notice and flyers through people’s doors warning people that the area will be cleared if toys are left unattended?
Pippa Watson
Resident of Kingston upon Thames Council
Neighbours’ children’s toys strewn across public lawns
Various residents of Verona Drive, Surbiton KT6 do not pick up after their children when they play on the public lawns in the neighbourhood. Since spring 2026, of a daily basis there are scooters, bikes, child push carts, footballs, goal posts, table tennis table, football table and various other toys (broken and functional) left lying about the grass.
I love that children can come together and play safely in the street- this is not the complaint. But the parents do not make sure the area is left clean afterwards. It’s unsightly and since even broken things are not disposed of as there’s no parental oversight of the area’s use, this becomes a waste.
I have reported these things as fly tipping but receive responses that the area is private land, which it is not- the council pay to cut the grass and maintain the area. This also extends to several residents who also leave large items of furniture and bags of old belongings on the pavement for weeks, presumably in hope someone will want it. These have been taken away usually when I report fly tipping but this just enables the careless attitude of many of the Verona residents. Can we have a public notice and flyers through people’s doors warning people that the area will be cleared if toys are left unattended?