The UK graffiti crisis - more must be done, and quickly

There have been several reports over during the past year on the rise of anti-social graffiti in the UK and the long-term problems associated with it. These can often have damaging effects on local communities and cities as visitors and residents are blighted by the offensive paint.

The removal of all graffiti is a never ending task, with a high price tag associated with cleaning due to vandals targeting the same hotspots again and again. In the UK, it is estimated that £1 billion pounds is needed to remove the majority of graffiti painted across the nation, with £75 million required for the London Underground alone.

Graffiti can make local residents feel unsafe and it can have a lasting impact on the reputation of the cities that are vandalised - that’s why it’s imperative that we look to new ways to focus our efforts to end this defacing of public property.

The long-term impact of graffiti

There has been a significant rise in politically-incensed graffiti over the last 18 months as vandals have taken to vulnerable public places to spray paint their political views on the COVID-19 pandemic. Cities and towns with low vaccination rates such as Bolton and Enfield are some of the worst affected by this form of vandalismcontributing to local unrest. Vandalism like this can influence public opinion and both scare people and impact their behaviour with much broader consequences.

Safety is viewed as paramount by the public, and rightly so. They can often have high expectations when it comes to feeling safe and comfortable in public places such as at train stations. Therefore, when offensive graffiti appears under bridges, on pathways and scaled across public buildings, this can sometimes be enough to deter people away from those areas and from using particular services. What’s more, this can often have a knock-on effect on local businesses. Graffiti is known to incite other forms of vandalism and crime by promoting unlawful behaviour, which will consequently turn business away due to a decrease in desirability.

This ongoing struggle between vandals and authorities creates a scenario where councils are forever having to pay the cost of clearing the graffiti - with no end in sight - to keep our streets completely graffiti-free.

The price we pay What is often forgotten is the price associated with cleaning graffiti, especially on the rail network infrastructure. As a public body, Network Rail has to prioritise its spending on safety critical matters and those affecting the operation of the railway. Therefore, graffiti is not its main priority and will take longer for it to be cleared. This can have an even bigger fall-out as the longer the paint remains on the surface, the more difficult it is to remove. For example, brick is an uneven surface which means graffiti will be absorbed into the porous materialthis makes it almost impossible to simply scrape or wipe it off. Graffiti has to be removed - typically within 24-48 hours, for the best chance of it being removed easily and without damage.

The cost of paint removal is only one inconvenience - graffiti also has a wider social cost to the running of everyday life. To remove graffiti on the transport network, operators may have to cancel or delay trains so that the cleans can be done safely by specialist teams - including under bridges or on tracks - which can cause disruptions. Similarly, with tunnels and bridges over motorways, it is sometimes necessary to have whole lanes closed which can cause traffic congestion. These are high-risk tasks and so must be done by highly trained operatives to ensure the graffiti is removed in the safest, most economical way. By undertaking either a full site visit or desktop assessment, you can plan the most effective methodology to remove the graffiti prior to arriving onsite.

Graffiti also has an environmental cost - the aerosol sprays used for spray painting emit volatile organic compounds (VOCs) which have been associated with contributing to rising ozone levels and, in some cases where experts aren’t involved, the cleaning agents used to remove the graffiti can also be toxic. These may work from the outside, but on the inside they are causing long-term damage to the surface and the environment.

Deterring graffiti

The top two ways of preventing graffiti are: Design, physical layout and protective measures: it’s important to consider the layout and physical design when thinking about graffiti prevention - secluded areas with limited traffic and large blank canvases obviously provide ample opportunity for vandals. One way of counteracting this is to install good lighting, motion-sensitive lights and CCTV in vulnerable spots. In addition, consider planting trees, foliage and ruffage near or around the surface which will make it harder for the vandals to access and deface.

Barrier coatings: protecting your surfaces is essential as it can be up to 80% more difficult to remove graffiti from unprotected areas. The most effective way to do this is by using a barrier coating such as fluro carbonates for interior and exterior surfaces. For outdoor furniture, signs and walls fiberglass or porcelain coatings will be most effective. For overall effectiveness, glazing vulnerable surfaces or objects with vandal-resistant plastic laminate will work just as well. While this will make the removal process easier, the laminate may permanently damage the surface they are coated on. For example, using a barrier coating on wood will prevent the wood from being able to breathe which can lead to early rotting.

What is being done

The graffiti crisis is not going unnoticed. During the pandemic, however, these issues were only accentuated and more needs to be done to address the rising cost of graffiti removal. In a letter to the rail industry in September 2020, the Transport Secretary called for long-term plans to tackle the issue. The proposals built on the action already taken, including a review of the response times to graffiti vandalism, helping to prevent more serious crimes and helping passengers to feel safe. As a result, during the pandemic Highways England removed

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33% more graffiti compared with the same time the previous year. This will be particularly important in 2022 as workers are commuting again. Passengers will need to feel safe when returning to the railway.

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