Why don’t you proactively sweep every street in Hamilton?
We need to be careful with how we spend ratepayer money. We focus our sweeping on streets where there is higher amounts of leaf fall and greater flooding and safety risks.
Keeping our streets clean
Our Connect Hamilton team monitor known leaf fall hotspots around the city once or twice a week during autumn and early winter. These streets are either swept by trucks or have their drains cleared by our team as necessary.
To make our sweeping efforts easier, residents or commuters parking on these hotspot streets should park their vehicles on their property or on nearby side streets between 6am – 10pm. On streets that have their drains cleared, cars can be parked as long as they are at least two meters away, either side of a drain.
Drains inspected once weekly
Drains cleared as necessary once a week during peak leaf fall season:
- Aberdeen Street
- Aurora Terrace
- Awatere Street
- Azimuth Place
- Beatty Street
- Braid Street
- Brookfield Street
- Caernarvon Street
- Charlemont Street
- Clarkin Road
- Clyde Street
- Commodore Avenue
- Constance Place
- Crosby Road
- Endeavour Avenue
- Flynn Road
- Galloway Street/Naylor Street intersection
- Garnett Avenue
- George Street
- Gilchrist Street
- Gillies Avenue
- Halcioine Close
- Helena Road/Liston Crescent intersection
- Hillcrest Road
- Hudson Street
- Hukanui Road
- Insoll Avenue
- Joanna Place
- Jones Crescent
- Knighton Road
- Lake Domain Drive
- Lancaster Street
- Livingstone Avenue
- Maeroa Road
- Mardon Road
- Masters Avenue
- Peachgrove Road
- Poaka Avenue
- Pulham Crescent
- Queenwood Avenue
- Scott Avenue
- Spinnaker Avenue
- Waterford Road
- Whyte Street
- Wilson Street
- Woodland Drive
- Young Street.
Streets inspected once weekly
Streets cleared as necessary once a week during peak leaf fall season:
- Abbotsford Street
- Banbury Crescent
- Beale Street
- Boundary Road
- Brighton Grove
- Clifton Road
- Fairfield Road
- Fox Street
- Grantham Street
- Grey Street
- Hammond Street
- Hardley Street
- Haultain Street
- Ingleton Terrace
- Memorial Drive
- Oakfield Crescent
- Plunket Terrace
- River Road (from 345 River Road to Comries Road)
- Strowan Avenue
- Te Aroha Street
- Puutikitiki Street
- Wellington Street
- Willoughby Street
- Woodstock Road.
Streets inspected twice weekly
Streets cleared as necessary twice a week during peak leaf fall season:
- Albert Street
- Firth Street
- Hillsborough Street
- Hunter Street
- Kitchener Street
- Oakley Avenue
- Oneill Street
- Stanley Street
- Thames Street
- Victoria Street (from Liverpool Street to the Fairfield Bridge)
- Tristram Street (from Bryce Street to Mill Street)
- Norton Road (from Tristram Street to Seddon Road).
Frequently asked questions
How do I get a street swept if it’s not on the hotspot list?
You can report leaf fall to our Customer Services team via the Antenno app - remember to include a photo of the leaf fall if possible. You can also reach us via email info@hcc.govt.nz, or by calling 07 838 6699.
How long will it take for my street to be swept once I report it?
We aim to complete sweeping by the end of the following week once it has been determined that action is required. Please note there can be delays due to high request volumes, cars parked on the street or the need for traffic management.
Why is my street not on the hotspot list?
The leaf fall programme is assessed at the start and end of each leaf fall season and targets the streets that are at the most risk for blocked drains and other flooding or safety issues caused by leaves. We do not have the capacity to proactively sweep all the streets in Hamilton.
How do I get my street on the hotspot list for leaf fall season?
We review our hotspot before and after each leaf fall season and prioritise the locations to those who need it the most. This review is based on community feedback during leaf fall season and street assessments completed by staff.
On occasions, the sweeper truck only sweeps sections of my street at a time. Why?
Our trucks fill up with leaves faster during the peak leaf fall season and we need to empty the leaves off-site more frequently - this means our trucks may not sweep the entire street at one time. Don’t worry, our team will return and complete the sweep.
Can you tell me when the sweeper truck will come out so I can move my car?
Our sweep trucks working hours in residential areas are 6am – 10pm.
If your street gets cleared by sweeper trucks once or twice weekly, we recommend not parking on either side of the street during these hours as this will impact our ability to complete the job.
If your street has its drains inspected, please park at least two meters away either side of any drains.
My street is on the list, but the sweeper truck has not come this week.
Sometimes there may be delays because of staff being sick or trucks needing repairs. We always aim to return to our regular schedule as soon as we can. There may also be times where our team inspect a street and decide that no sweeping is required that week.
What happens when bad weather is expected? Will the teams come out urgently?
When weather warnings are issued, our team are deployed to check over and clear known hotspot locations before it rains.
I have swept up leaves from the footpath/ berm/ gutter/ drain. Will you collect them
We do not collect leaves that have been picked up or put in bags. If you collect leaves, there are some great ways to dispose of them in your backyard (see the below FAQ).
If a drain is blocked or overflowing, please do not try and clean it out. Instead contact Council's Customer Service team on (07) 838 6699 or log the issue on Antenno.
I have collected leaves from my property, will you collect them?
We do not collect leaves from private properties, but you can get rid of leaves yourself!
Composting and mulching are great options to dispose of your leaves:
- Compost: when mixed with grass clippings or composted manure, leaves break down into a rich compost.
- Mulch: collect fallen leaves with your lawn mower and spread them over garden beds. As well as enriching the soil, the mulched leaves will help control weed growth.
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Last updated 10 April 2025