Luton High Town anti-prostitution plan not a 'quick fix'

Laura Church, of Luton Borough Council, said the town's prostitution strategy would take time

Residents demanding an end to street prostitution have been warned there is no "quick fix".

A five-year police and council plan to end street prostitution in Luton's High Town area started two months ago.

Some residents say although there has been an improvement not enough has yet been done to curb prostitution in the town.

Laura Church, of Luton Borough Council, said: "We won't sort out this issue straight away."

Similar schemes such as those in Ipswich, she said, took 18 months or more to take effect.

"This isn't a quick fix. We are working with partners on this issue," said Ms Church.

But shop owner Shazad Khadam said: "They've made so many promises.

"They are not doing enough. It is going to take a lot longer than five years."

The five-year plan followed a month-long police operation in High Town aimed at deterring kerb crawlers.

Under the £50,000 plan, Luton Borough Council issued a dispersal order to force those suspected of anti-social behaviour to leave the area.

Resources have also been allocated to projects supporting sex workers to leave the sex trade.