Haydon the Womble and Meryl Sweep are officially the two names of Merton Councils’ new mechanical pavement sweepers!
Following an initial naming competition held in January, over 100 suggestions were received from the public and after careful deliberation, six pun-tastic names were selected for a final online poll which received 1,194 votes in total.
Haydon the Womble was the clear winner with just over 58% of the vote and Meryl Sweep a worthy second with 15.58%, meaning these two names will now be proudly displayed on the side of the vehicles.
Haydon the Womble is the mascot of AFC Wimbledon named after Haydons Road railway station. Haydon made his debut for AFC Wimbledon in August 2006 and has been a fan favourite ever since.
Meryl Sweep is a sweeping play on the name of Oscar-winning actress Meryl Streep, known for her versatility and adaptability, just like our new street sweepers!
Merton Council has invested in these brand new state-of-the-art mechanical pavement sweepers as part of the latest phase of the Keep It Clean Love Merton campaign.
As part of its drive to keep the borough’s streets clean, these new multi-functional sweepers are equipped with a quick-change system meaning Veolia’s street cleansing teams can complete a range of tasks.
The council is always looking for ways to keep Merton streets clean and investing in this new machinery will enhance the work already being done by the current street cleaners who will continue to work alongside the new mechanical pavement sweepers.
Clean streets are a top priority for residents, and they are a top priority for the council too. These new vehicles are a fantastic example of Merton’s continued commitment to keeping the borough’s streets clean.
Cllr Natasha Irons, Cabinet Member for Local Environment and Green Spaces, said: “ Thank you to the hundreds of residents who sent in their suggested names for the competition. We received an overwhelming response and hundreds of creative entries.”
“Merton is a wonderful place to live and as well as finding names for our sweepers, we hope the competition helped to raise awareness of our Keep it Clean, Love Merton campaign. The council spends over one million pounds a year clearing rubbish dumped on our streets by a small number of people. This is money that could be spent on other vital services and we hope everyone will take pride in our community by disposing of their rubbish responsibly.”
“I can’t wait to see Haydon the Womble and Meryl Sweep proudly displayed on the side of our new vehicles as they’re out and about keeping Merton clean.”