.. Canal Watch Update May 2006..
May 30th 2006
I arranged to meet Stewart Davies (Land and Drainage Officer -Torfaen County Borough Council) at the Five Locks Moorings (Pontnewydd) at 3p.m ... the weather conditions were dry, scattered clouds and sunny, our mission, once again, to walk, discuss and inspect, the sections of the canal which meanders through Cwmbran (Cwmbran Tunnel to Ty Coch Way)
Our observations:-
Cwmbran Tunnel to Five Locks Moorings
Clear of litter.
Newly installed `Steel Bin` in use.
.. Lads ... Just `Chilling out` ..
Five Locks Moorings
Disappointing this month, with the Moorings littered.
One of the two installed Litterbins, vandalised - outer casing removed and `missing`.
Shrubs protruding through perimeter fence - need pruning.
Five Locks to Pontnewydd Cascades
Some litter throughout section.
Discarded `Wheely bin` in the canal section.
Newly installed `Steel ` Litterbin adjacent to recreational ground; in use.
Other Litter bins along section being used.
One litterbin has had it's inner liner removed and discarded in the canal ..... will be retrieved and outer frame secured.
Broken branches (storm damage) in the canal section.
Pontnewydd Cascades to Maendy Way
Weir boards at the Lock need replacing.
A newly installed `Steel` Litterbin in use.
2 bicycles in the Lock Update: Removed
An Asda shopping trolley in the canal Lock complete with a Mallard nest and egg.
May Update: Egg missing, no evidence of `nest sitting` ... Trolley will be removed.
N.b Stewart's Team have great difficulty removing rubbish from any of the Locks, due to `Safety concerns` .... I had suggested that the safest way would be to obtain a boat and approach this `concern` at `water level`.
April Update: A small boat has been `secured` and will have it's maiden voyage shortly.
May Update: The boat, not named as yet, but has a number (5), is awaiting collection from the Boating Lake, Llanyrafon - hopefully the inaugural voyage will happen sometime in June, probably the section at Star Street, Old Cwmbran.
Maendy Way to Cwmbran Retail Park
A compound at the rear of the `Pets at Home` store, has previously been adapted to store the wooden Pallets and `tote` boxes awaiting collection ...
April Update: Storage compound needs repairing and made more secure.
May Update: Wooden Pallets within the compound had been `set alight` leaving charred remains.
Approximately fourteen `Pets at Home` tote boxes dumped in the canal section near the store.
`Pets at Home` need to address their storage compound framework and security as a matter of priority.
.. The Council have the power to charge for retrieval/collection of items that litter the canal ..
Three trolleys observed this month, two Asda, one Matalan
*n.b B & Q now have a continuing policy, whereby all their trolleys, (which are of the non deposit variety); are `rounded up` at the end of each day and secured in the `Trolley compounds`).
Star Street to Henllys Way
Some litter.
An `unloved` Teddy Bear.
A litterbin installed on a nearby Lamp post being used.
Plan to site a `Steel` Litterbin at this section.
Several clumps of Yellow Iris's (Iris pseudacorus) in flower.
Henllys Way to Two Locks
Overall very good - Litter and bagged `Doggy Poo` placed at the base of a `burnt out` Litterbin.
May update: A `Steel` Litterbin has now been installed.
Two Locks to Ty Coch
Litterbins in use.
Overall good, although brick work needs replacing at the `cascade`.
May Update: I am informed that the brickwork would be rectified within the next couple of months.
Negative Elements
Vandalism still evident.
Positive Elements
Again this month I was pleased with the overall appearance and management of the canal.
All Litterbins in use.
Continual evidence of dog owners being responsible by `poop scooping` and depositing the bagged faeces in the litterbins.
Four `Steel` Litterbins, installed - replacing vandalised `Plastic` Litterbins.
Two more `Steel` Litterbins to be installed June.
Pondweed was minimal.
We observed several Mallards, ducklings, Moorhens and their chicks, Perch, Bream, Chubb, Tench, Carp, swarms of midges, masses of Tadpoles and three Goldfish ....... and that's honest!
... Each day WE have a Choice ...
... We can choose to work .. With the Environment ...
Or
... We can choose to work .. Against the Environment ...
... Let Our Choice Today ...
... be an Action for a Better Tomorrow ...
Our Future ...
... In Our Hands.
.. Be sure to look out for June's instalment of Canal Watch 2006 ..
