Council staff put in the hours for clean-up operation after ‘The Queue’

The clean-up operation after the hours-long queue to see the Queen lying in state has already begun, following her final departure from London.

In Southwark, where the queue began in Southwark Park, miles from Westminster Hall, where the Queen’s coffin lay in state for four days, council officials said they had completed a full inspection of the queue’s route through the borough and cleared any litter.

Southwark Council said that, after a brief pause for the funeral, staff would continue to work with Government officials and the events company involved “to make sure that Southwark Park in particular is fully open and returned to its former splendour”.

In Southwark Park alone, many staff worked a total of 24 extra hours over the four days of the lying in state to keep the green space clean, the council said.

We’ve carried out extra street cleansing and waste collections to keep the queue clean and tidy

An estimated seven tonnes of additional litter was gathered and removed over the same period.

Catherine Rose, cabinet member for parks, streets and clean air at the council, said: “Southwark has been proud, on behalf of its residents and local government as a whole, to play its role during this historic time in our nation’s history.

“We’ve carried out extra street cleansing and waste collections to keep the queue clean and tidy, and ensure all mourners had a safe and pleasant experience.”

She added: “We know that for thousands of mourners, their memory of Southwark Park is the starting point to their personal journeys of reflection and paying their respects.

“We welcome them to return at any point in the future.”