Key Points

• Brent Council has commissioned Wood Street Walls studio to clean and repaint the railway bridge next to Alperton Underground Station, at an estimated cost of £138,000, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund under the government’s Levelling Up agenda.
• Designs for the bridge, on the external facades of Ealing Road bridge, have been created by artist collective Group 19 following consultations with two local schools and residents.
• The project is part of a wider regeneration programme around Alperton Underground Station and Ealing Road, linked to the area’s status as a Mayor of London Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ) focused on south Asian fashion, jewellery, cuisine and culture.
• Alperton ward councillor and Brent Liberal Democrat Group leader Cllr Anton Georgiou has strongly criticised the repainting as a “cosmetic project” and “a disgraceful waste” of public money, arguing the funds should instead address local priorities such as cleaner streets, road and pavement repairs and tackling anti-social behaviour.
• Brent Council has defended the scheme, stressing the money is ring-fenced for regeneration and economic development projects and cannot be diverted into routine maintenance budgets, and that the bridge repainting is intended to create a more welcoming “gateway” and reinforce Alperton and Ealing Road’s role as a creative and cultural destination.
• Works began on 13 July and are scheduled to run until 12 September, taking place overnight between 10pm and 5am, causing a partial closure of Ealing Road and the Ealing Road/Alperton Station bus stop but not requiring any rail line closures.
• The bridge project sits alongside other investment in the area, including new homes on the former Alperton Bus Garage site, public realm improvements, and plans for step-free access and station upgrades funded jointly by Brent Council and Transport for London.
• Debate over the repainting cost reflects wider tensions about how regeneration and Levelling Up resources are allocated, and whether high-profile public art schemes should be prioritised over day-to-day local service improvements.

Brent Council’s (North London News) July 29, 2026 –As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) in the Brent & Kilburn Times, Brent Council has commissioned Wood Street Walls studio to clean and repaint the bridge adjacent to Alperton Underground Station at a cost of £138,000, funded through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, prompting sharp criticism from local Liberal Democrat councillors over how regeneration money is being used.

According to the LDRS coverage, the scheme aims to install public art on the external facades of the Ealing Road bridge, with designs drawn up by artist and designer collective Group 19 after consultations with two local schools and residents.

How did Brent Council justify spending £138,000 on repainting Alperton station bridge?

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service in the Brent & Kilburn Times, a Brent Council spokesperson explained that the bridge repainting is part of the authority’s UK Shared Prosperity Fund programme and is financed by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) in partnership with the Greater London Authority (GLA), specifically for regeneration and economic development.

The spokesperson told the LDRS that

“this funding has been allocated specifically for regeneration and economic development projects and cannot be redirected to routine maintenance budgets”,

stressing that money from this national Levelling Up programme is ring-fenced for schemes intended to stimulate local economic activity and improve public spaces rather than pay for core services like street cleaning or road repairs.

In its response, as reported by LDRS, Brent Council said the scheme will “create a more welcoming gateway to Alperton”, complement wider public realm improvements around the station and support Ealing Road’s designation as a Mayor of London Creative Enterprise Zone.

What criticisms has Cllr Anton Georgiou made about the bridge repainting project?

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service in the Brent & Kilburn Times, Brent Liberal Democrat Group leader and Alperton ward councillor Anton Georgiou has publicly condemned the project’s cost, describing the £138,000 spend on repainting the bridge as “staggering” and “a disgraceful waste of £138,000 of public money”.

According to the LDRS report, Cllr Georgiou argued that “we need money spent in Alperton on the things that matter to residents”, listing cleaner streets, fixing roads and pavements, and tackling anti-social behaviour as priorities residents and Liberal Democrat councillors have been pressing for.

As quoted by LDRS and carried by the Brent & Kilburn Times, Georgiou added that “spending a staggering £138,000 on repainting a bridge is not what we have been asking for” and stated:

“Instead, Labour has chosen to spend six figures repainting a bridge. At a time when so many local services are under pressure, this is a disgraceful waste of £138,000 of public money and shows how wrong the council’s priorities are”.

He further argued, as reported by LDRS, that if

“Labour wants local people to feel proud of where they live, they should stop wasting taxpayers’ money on cosmetic projects and start delivering the improvements residents and Liberal Democrat Councillors have been calling for.”

What work is being carried out on the Alperton bridge and how long will the disruption last?

As set out by the Local Democracy Reporting Service in the Brent & Kilburn Times, Brent Council’s commissioned works at the Ealing Road bridge next to Alperton Underground Station involve cleaning and repainting the structure, including the installation of public art designs produced by Group 19 in collaboration with local schools and residents.

The LDRS report states that works began on 13 July and are expected to be completed by 12 September, with operations scheduled overnight between 10pm and 5am.

In practical terms, the LDRS coverage explains that the overnight works will require a partial closure of Ealing Road and mean that the bus stop at Ealing Road/Alperton Station will be out of use for the duration of the project, although there will be no need for any rail line closures and the Underground station is expected to continue operating.

Why is the Alperton station bridge repainting linked to Levelling Up and Creative Enterprise Zones?

As reported by the LDRS in the Brent & Kilburn Times and supported by information published by the Greater London Authority, the bridge repainting forms part of Brent Council’s programme funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, a key element of the government’s Levelling Up agenda aimed at supporting local growth and regeneration.

The project is also tied to Ealing Road and Alperton’s status as a Creative Enterprise Zone (CEZ), recognised by the Mayor of London as a hub of creative industries where targeted investment is intended to nurture local businesses and cultural activity.

According to the GLA’s CEZ information, the Brent zone along Ealing Road and Alperton focuses on south Asian culture, highlighting established skills and businesses in jewellery, textiles and fashion, and aims to build on this distinctive identity through public realm improvements and support for creative enterprises.

In its statement to the LDRS, Brent Council linked the bridge project to this agenda, saying the improvements will “help cement Alperton and Ealing Road’s growing reputation as a destination for south Asian cuisine, culture and creativity” and build on previous investment including the Mayor of London’s Creative Enterprise Zone funding.

How does Brent Council say the bridge repainting fits into wider regeneration in Alperton?

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service and reflected in Brent Council and GLA information, the bridge repainting is one element of a broader package of regeneration schemes in and around Alperton Underground Station.

In its comments to the LDRS, a Brent Council spokesperson said the bridge scheme “forms part of wider investment in Alperton, alongside new homes, public spaces, infrastructure and community facilities”, positioning the project within an ongoing transformation of the neighbourhood.

According to material detailing Alperton’s redevelopment, the former Alperton Bus Garage site next to the station is being redeveloped into 461 new homes, 40 per cent of which are designated affordable, alongside new retail and community spaces and “maker spaces” aimed at small businesses and creative start-ups.

Separately, reports on council decisions indicate that Brent has approved significant funding, via mechanisms such as the Strategic Community Infrastructure Levy (SCIL), to support a major upgrade of Alperton Underground Station including step-free access, increased ticket gates and improved accessible toilets, with Transport for London expected to match funding and deliver works.

These station and public realm improvements, alongside the CEZ-related investment in creative industries, form the backdrop against which the bridge repainting is presented by the council as part of a comprehensive regeneration approach, even as critics question specific spending choices.

How have local consultations and artists shaped the Alperton bridge designs?

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service in the Brent & Kilburn Times, the visual designs for the Ealing Road bridge have been created by Group 19, a collective of artists and designers appointed for the project.

The LDRS report states that Group 19 developed their proposals following consultations with two local schools and residents in Alperton, suggesting that engagement with the community has formed part of the design process for the public art.

Brent Council, through its spokesperson’s comments recorded by the LDRS, has linked these artistic elements to the aim of creating a “more welcoming gateway” and reinforcing Ealing Road’s status as a Creative Enterprise Zone, where public art is used as a tool to support local identity and economic development.

What does the council say about the limits on diverting the bridge funding to local services?

As reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Brent Council has emphasised that the £138,000 earmarked for the bridge repainting comes from UK Shared Prosperity Fund allocations which are restricted to regeneration and economic development projects.

In its statement to the LDRS, the council stressed that such funding

“cannot be redirected to routine maintenance budgets”,

meaning it cannot legally be used to pay for day-to-day services such as street cleaning, pothole repairs or general highway maintenance.

This explanation is presented in response to criticism from Cllr Georgiou and other Liberal Democrat councillors, who argue that residents’ priorities lie with cleaner streets, infrastructure maintenance and tackling anti-social behaviour, rather than aesthetic improvements to the bridge.

How does this row reflect wider debates around public art and regeneration spending?

As covered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service and informed by GLA documentation on Creative Enterprise Zones, the dispute over the Alperton bridge repainting sits within a broader debate about how councils and city authorities use targeted regeneration funding and whether public art schemes provide sufficient tangible benefit compared with investment in basic services.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund and Levelling Up agenda, as referenced by Brent Council in its comments to the LDRS, are designed to channel money into projects that enhance local economies, improve public spaces, and support cultural and creative industries, rather than to backfill core council budgets.

At the same time, the sharp language used by Cllr Georgiou in the LDRS report—calling the bridge repainting “a disgraceful waste” and warning that it shows “how wrong the council’s priorities are”—illustrates the tension between strategic regeneration programmes and residents’ perceptions of immediate needs, with elected members questioning whether high-profile art projects should take precedence over practical improvements.

Background to the Alperton station and Ealing Road regeneration

Brent Council’s bridge repainting plan sits against a longer history of regeneration around Alperton Underground Station and Ealing Road.

Earlier public realm projects have sought to improve the station forecourt, canal access and pedestrian environment, while developer-led schemes on the former bus garage site have committed to hundreds of new homes and associated commercial and community space next to the station.

The designation of Ealing Road and Alperton as a Creative Enterprise Zone by the Mayor of London has further encouraged investment in creative workspaces, cultural programming and public art, with the GLA identifying the area’s south Asian fashion, jewellery and culinary offer as a distinctive strength that can be supported through targeted funding.

The UK Shared Prosperity Fund, referenced by Brent Council in its comments to the LDRS, is part of the national Levelling Up policy framework and channels money into local authorities for regeneration, business support and place-based initiatives, under rules that ring-fence funds for specified types of project.

Within this context, the bridge repainting is one of a series of linked efforts to refresh the visual environment around Alperton station, reinforce the area’s identity as a creative and cultural destination, and connect physical improvements with economic development objectives, even as political debate continues over how such funds should be prioritised.

Explore More Brent Council News

Brent Council Rolls Back Blue Sack Recycling Amid Performance Issues 2026

Brent Council Issues Staggering £11m School Street Driving Fines: Brent 2026

Prediction: how could the Alperton bridge repainting affect local residents, businesses and future regeneration decisions?

Based on the information reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service in the Brent & Kilburn Times and official documentation from Brent Council and the GLA, the immediate impact of the bridge repainting on Alperton residents and businesses is likely to be short-term disruption from overnight closures of Ealing Road and bus stop changes, balanced against a refreshed station gateway once works conclude in September.

For businesses along Ealing Road, particularly those in the south Asian retail, food and fashion sectors highlighted within the Creative Enterprise Zone framework, the completed artwork and cleaner bridge may contribute to a more distinctive and welcoming streetscape that aligns with wider efforts to attract visitors and support local economic activity, though this depends on how customers respond to the changes.

In terms of local politics and future regeneration decisions, the sharp criticism voiced by Cllr Georgiou and other Liberal Democrat representatives suggests that similar spending proposals—especially those centred on public art or cosmetic improvements—may face closer scrutiny and require clearer communication about funding rules and expected benefits, as councillors seek to demonstrate that regeneration projects respond to residents’ priorities for cleanliness, safety and essential infrastructure.

Over the longer term, as Alperton continues to see new housing, station upgrades and creative industry support, the debate around the bridge repainting could influence how Brent Council balances aesthetic projects with visible service improvements and how it explains the constraints and opportunities associated with ring-fenced Levelling Up and Creative Enterprise Zone funding to the local community.