October 23rd 2005

Sunday 9.15 a.m ....  I set off to walk from the Cwmbran Tunnel (Cadw Grade II listed) to Ty-Coch (Hollybush Way). The towpath is also a cycle-way ( Route 46 ) 

.. Weather conditions:- Overcast, dry and no wind ..

.. I enjoyed the scenery and bird sounds, whilst walking through the fallen leaves of Autumn ..

     

.. Interesting `fungi` ... Can anyone identify them? ..

.. Cwmbran Tunnel to Five Locks Road ..

My observations :-

• 10 Ducks.

• 1 Moorhen.

• 1 Jay.

• 3 Litterbins - all being used.

• Some Litter throughout section.

• Edging slabs dislodged and pushed into the canal. Update: Retrieved and relocated by Torfaen Land/Drainage Staff.

• Overall very good.

.. Five Locks Moorings ..

The Moorings were created to allow visiting `pleasure boats` to tie up safely and hopefully take pleasure from their visit to the farthest navigable point (South) on the Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal.

The Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canals trust held a Boat Rally here at the Moorings on Saturday 1st of October to support the canal restoration, through 5 Locks and beyond,

- click here to see the photographs.

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My observations :-

• General appearance very good, shrubs pruned, both litterbins in place and being used.

• Both Litterbins being used.

• Some litter evident behind fence.

• 7 Ducks.

• Overall very good

.. Five Locks Road to Mount Pleasant Road ..

My observations :-

• Broken branch in front of canal culvert.( As recorded previous months) - partially blocking overflow culvert.

• 4 Litter Bins (all being used).

• 1 litterbin vandalised (as noted last month) only the frame remains.

• Cans, bottles and litter throughout section..

• Some Dog faeces on grass verge.

• Damaged section of canal wall due to tree root infiltration. (See Photo).

• Pond weed throughout section.

• 5 Ducks.

• 10 Moorhens.

• Evidence of weed clearance in lock.

 .. Mount Pleasant Road to Maendy Way ..

My observations :-

• 1 Litter bin ( Vandalised, Burnt out ), as noted audit of May 29th. Update: Not replaced.

• 1 Litter bin ( Top of Litter bin damaged by fire).

• Overall very good.

• 2 Moorhens.

 .. Maendy Way to Greenforge Way ..

My observations :-

• No Litter Bins.

• Weed free.

• Goldfish in holding pond of Lock.

• 1 Duck.

• 7 Moorhens.

• 1 Asda trolley at end of section.

• 1 Asda trolley in the lock.

• 1 bicycle in lock.

• Overall very good.

 .. Lockgate Retail Park ..

• Asda Supermarket Trolley at start of section. As recorded in August .

• 3 `Pets at Home` storage boxes dumped in the canal - ( When I observe their boxes in the canal, I inform the store management and also Head Office ... In my opinion, their `inherent` problem is that they store their empty `storage boxes` behind the store awaiting collection; which can be a week or more. I have suggested that they secure the boxes to wooden pallets with a `banding` tape ... to date the store has not taken this `positive suggestion on board`).

•  A wooden Pallet from `Pets at Home` store, dumped in the canal. (The store stack their pallets outside, `unsecured` awaiting collection).

• No Litter Bins.

• 5 Ducks.

• 4 Moorhens.

• Weed free.

• Small concentrated areas of litter - bottles cans, 2 traffic cones as noted last month.

• Overall quite good.

    *  As B&Q now collect their trolleys from the carpark each evening and secure them in their trolley park, there have been no further instances of  B&Q trolleys dumped in the canal.

`Pets at Home`- Unsecured Pallets and storage boxes awaiting collection

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A wooden Pallet from the `Pets at Home` store and a `Pets at Home` storage box, dumped in the canal.

.. Star Street to Bellevue Road ..

My observations :-

• Heavily littered throughout section to Broadweir bridge.

• 1 `unidentified` Shopping trolley.

• Pond weed throughout section.

• 7 Ducks.

• 4 Moorhens.

• No Litter Bins.

• Overall Very Poor.

.. Henllys Way to Two Locks Road ..

My observations :-

• Pond weed prevalent throughout section.

• 14 Ducks.

• 2 Moorhens.

• 1 Litterbin - Full.

• Some litter.

• Overall good.

.. Two Locks Road to Hollybush Way ..

My observations :-

• Stone Steps of  gradient `Lock` damaged. (See Photo) As reported in the January 16th 2005 Audit.

• Estate Agent's sign dumped in the canal.

• 39 Ducks.

• 7 Moorhens.

• Large areas covered in green Algae.

• 3 Litter Bins, all being used;- 1 previously vandalised and only the frame remaining.

• Sign depicting `Hanson Brickworks` defaced. (See Photo)  Reported to T.B.Council, Graffiti  removed, although some of the script needs retouching.

Summing Up

On the positive side:-

• Some weed clearing evident.

• Torfaen Borough Council staff, that I have contacted, have been very considerate and professional in their approach to my concerns.

• B&Q have addressed the problem of their trolleys being dumped in the canal  by collecting them each evening and securing them in their trolley compound.

* I now know of several Litterbins along the canal in Cwmbran, where only the frame remains; this seems to imply that they are not well designed as to their security feature.

* I know of another site along the towpath in Pontnewydd where the Litterbin has been deliberately burned down.

* There is another Litterbin on the towpath in Pontnewydd that shows signs of something being placed on the top and set alight.

 As there is the initial cost to supply each Litterbin and  a subsequent additional cost to replace any vandalised Litterbins, I would suggest and recommend that any future Litterbins be made of Steel or Cast Iron; I appreciate that there would be a higher cost for each Litterbin, but as they would not be able to be removed from their `seating` and coupled with  the added bonus that they would be `Fireproof`; I believe that the money would be well spent.

 

Back in 1993, I was the instigator of a locally run environmental project on the Canal in Pontnewydd; we called ourselves THE GREEN TEAM; because of the support the Group attained, several Litterbins were placed on the towpath between the Pontnewydd Cascades and The Cross Keys Pub.

 

These bins were made of cast iron and although the inner linings were removed promptly and discarded in the canal by  the negative element within our society and in one or two instances, even fires had been lit within the bins ... to date the Litterbins have survived the test of Time.

* I would therefore strongly suggest, that consideration be given, towards any additional or replacement Litterbins be of a metal construction .. ( Readers, `Will you help? ... if so please telephone or write to Torfaen Borough Council ... As they say in Tesco`s " Every Little helps" ).

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I believe that we, in Cwmbran, are fortunate in having a watercourse that once played a major part in our industrial heritage, and with the correct management, social respect and environmental awareness, the canal can bring immense pleasure to us all as a leisure amenity - Boating, Fishing, Walking, Cycling etc.

However, it saddens me, that the actions of  some selfish and ignorant individuals from our home town of Cwmbran go out of their way to spoil  this `Enviable Asset` by littering the waterway/ towpath and also several willful acts of vandalism .

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If you have any views on this matter please email me  

.. To visit The Monmouthshire Brecon and Abergavenny Canal Trust click here ..

Click here to read about the `GREEN TEAM ` of 1993

Click here for info. on the Monmouthshire canal