Bus stop cleaning champion warned off by parish council
A local cleaning business owner was warned off cleaning a bus shelter that had been daubed with paint.
Luke Harris from Cedar Exterior Cleaning has been cleaning bus shelters and parks around Telford and showing the videos on social media which have been viewed around the world.
When a bus shelter in Apley that was painted with a remembrance theme was defaced with white paint recently, Luke saw went down to try and clean it off before it dried too hard.
He told Telford Live “I managed to get almost all of the white paint off during the clean. I do this all day every day, and knew that the longer it was left to harden, the more difficult it would have been to remove without damaging the paint underneath.
“I got a call from Hadley and Leegomery Parish Council telling me that I shouldn’t be doing this, and it should be left to the professionals. I am a professional, I have the right kit and products to do this.
“To be absolutely clear, I don’t charge for these bus shelter cleans I do. It’s spreading positivity and when I have a bit of spare time, I enjoy giving back to the community.
“There are loads of cleaning businesses like mine doing this around the UK. One lad in Norfork who does it got invited by the council to the Kings Garden Party. I was getting told I shouldn’t do it.”
Hadley and Leegomery Parish Council told Telford Live “The support of volunteers is welcomed and very much appreciated and plays an important role in helping to maintain and improve our shared spaces.
“However, in cases such as this, where work is being carried out on council assets, there are a number of important factors that must be considered. Individuals, companies or groups wishing to undertake work on council property must communicate with the relevant officers in advance.
“This allows the council to carry out the necessary checks and ensure that the appropriate procedures are followed, including around Health and Safety for the volunteers, staff or passers by, the environment and insurance.
“In this particular case, the police were actively involved, and the bus stop was a crime scene. As a result, there is a potential risk that actions taken without prior coordination may have unintentionally interfered with or destroyed evidence.
“For these reasons, we ask that anyone wishing to undertake voluntary work on council assets contact the council officers beforehand so work can be carried out safely and appropriately.
“We remain grateful for the community’s willingness to help and encourage residents to continue engaging with the council so that such efforts can be supported and managed in the correct way.”
Luke says that the bus shelter was not taped off and was still in use by the public, “I’ve actually cleaned this bus shelter before when it was daubed in engine oil. There were a couple of orange barriers to stop people getting the oil on their clothing. There wasn’t even a wet paint sign this time.”
Telford and Wrekin Council applauded Luke for his community spirit when he cleaned the bus shelter previously in December 2025, saying on Facebook “We’ve always known the strength of community in Telford and Wrekin, and this story really highlights it.”
