A volunteer group in South Norwood is demanding action after a council waste lorry crashed into and devastated their cherished community garden, with promised compensation still not delivered almost a year later.
A 'devastating' morning crash
The incident occurred at around 8am on March 15, 2025, when a Veolia refuse collection vehicle veered off Enmore Road and ploughed into the garden area outside South Norwood Leisure Centre. According to a witness, the driver did not stop to assess the damage, instead reversing out and continuing the collection route.
The wayward lorry caused significant destruction, mowing down three mature silver birch trees, knocking a branch from a fourth, and destroying surrounding shrubbery carefully planted by volunteers. It also left deep tyre tracks in the grass and damaged the Denmark Road sign.
Broken promises and 'deafening silence'
Following the crash, local Labour Councillor Amy Foster raised the issue with Croydon Council. Veolia, the council's waste contractor, and the council's Head of Environmental Services agreed to compensate the People for Portland Road group.
The commitment was to provide one replacement silver birch tree and £1,000 in additional funding for new planting. However, nearly ten months on, neither the tree nor the money has materialised.
Councillor Foster and the volunteer group say communications have gone "very, very quiet", with emails being ignored. Paul Scott, Vice Chair of the group and a former Croydon Labour Councillor, emphasised the urgency as the spring planting season approaches.
The lost 'wonderful little oasis'
The garden was one of two projects led by the volunteer group, part of an effort to make Portland Road greener and more biodiverse. Volunteers described it as a "wonderful little oasis" that had successfully attracted more insects and birds to the area.
Mr Scott stated that while some growth has returned, the site remains a "sad comparison" to its former glory. He also highlighted the safety risk, noting that had the crash happened a few hours later, volunteers could have been "very seriously injured."
In a statement to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, a Veolia spokesperson said: "The vehicle crash... was a regrettable incident that we are very sorry occurred. We're sorry for the frustration caused by the significant delay... A member of Veolia's team has now made direct contact with the group to arrange a goodwill payment and to cover the cost of a replacement silver birch tree."
The incident has also raised questions about the management of Croydon Council's contract with Veolia, which was renewed for eight years in April 2025 and covers waste collection, street cleaning, and maintenance.
