Kensington Local Information
Practical local information for Kensington: bin collection days, parking, council tax bands and planning, each one linked back to the official source.
Top story
Kensington roadworks: Westway back to two lanes
TfL has reopened a second westbound lane on the A40 Westway and taken buses off diversion. Three full weekend closures follow, the first on Friday 2 October.
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Bins
Kensington bin days: rubbish collected twice a week
Kensington and Chelsea collects rubbish twice a week and takes no wheelie bins. Garden waste is £79.70 a year, bulky items £44, and the tip is in Wandsworth.
Parking
Parking in Kensington: £8.40 an hour at the top rate
Kensington and Chelsea charges by zone and fuel type, £1.90 to £8.40 an hour. No uncontrolled streets, no visitor vouchers, and the Blue Badge does not apply.
Council Tax
Kensington council tax: £1,643.44 at band D in 2026/27
The full band A to H table for Kensington and Chelsea, fifth cheapest of 33 London boroughs. Plus the 47 garden squares that add up to £652 on top.
Local Info
Kensington house prices: £1.25m average, down 14.7%
The average Kensington and Chelsea home sold for £1,250,149 in June 2026, down 14.7% in a year, and the average flat is now under £1m. Prices by property type.
Local Info
Kensington tube and fares: £3.10 a hop, £8.90 a day
Which zone every Kensington and Chelsea Tube station is in, journey times to the West End and the City, and 2026 fares: £3.10 peak single, £8.90 daily cap.
Local Info
Things to do in Kensington: 12 days out, 6 of them free
Twelve Kensington days out with prices checked on 9 August 2026, including three free national museums, a £1 ticket and one pay-what-you-want morning.
Local Info
Kensington planning news: 5,904 homes, comments to 15 Oct
The draft London Plan raises Kensington's housing target to 5,904 homes and consultation closes 15 October 2026. Plus Earl's Court and the Local Plan.
Bins
Kensington Christmas bin collections: only 3 days missed
Kensington and Chelsea skips only Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day collections. Christmas tree drop-off points, tip and library hours too.
Schools
Kensington school term dates 2026/27: 7 of 10 off from 19 Oct
Kensington and Chelsea's half term is 26 to 30 October, but seven of ten local schools we checked break up on 16 October. Christmas and INSET dates too.
Travel
Kensington Christmas travel 2026: what is known so far
No Tube or rail closures are published yet for Kensington over Christmas 2026. What ran last year, bank holiday parking rules, and when timetables land.
Half Term
Kensington October half term 2026: dates and what's on
Kensington half term is 26 to 30 October, but many schools are off from 19 October. What is on: Design Museum camps, museum shows, Halloween in Holland Park.