Swansea’s road repair blitz ramps up as new resurfacing crews hit the streets

The council says an additional £300,000 has been pumped into the programme, allowing teams to tackle more potholes, worn‑out stretches and weather‑damaged routes after weeks of cold, wet conditions.

Fresh resurfacing lined up across the city

A series of busy roads are now earmarked for work in the coming weeks, including key routes in Clydach, Morriston, Fforestfach, Llansamlet, Clase, Bishopston and Uplands.

Locations scheduled for repairs include:

• Ynyspenllwch Road, Clydach (Ffordd Cwmtawe to Clydach)
• Lone Road, Clydach
• Llanllienwen Road, Morriston
• A48, Morriston (J46 to Bryntywod entrance)
• Carmarthen Road, Fforestfach (Ffordd Cynore to Swansea Road)
• Nantong Way, Llansamlet (outside Royal Mail)
• Rheidol Avenue, Clase
• Bishopston Road, Bishopston
• Maes y Gwernen Road and Drive, Cwmrhydyceirw
• Uplands Crescent

The council says full resurfacing has already been completed at a number of high‑traffic spots, including the Peniel Green Road motorway junction.

‘We’re using every resource we’ve got’

Cllr Andrew Stevens, Cabinet Member for Environment and Infrastructure, said crews were working flat out to keep up with demand.

“We are using all of our resources to tackle as many of the highway repair requests as possible,” he said.

“Full resurfacing work is being completed at key traffic spots including the motorway junction at Peniel Green Road. Our small resurfacing teams are also out tackling large areas of road that have been impacted by the recent cold and wet weather.”

Part of a wider £300k pothole and resurfacing blitz

The council says the latest work forms part of the £300,000 pothole and resurfacing blitz announced earlier this winter. According to the authority’s early‑February update, teams filled around 960 potholes in January, with repairs running at “around 100 a day” during the coldest weeks. The same update confirmed that full resurfacing had recently been completed on Peniel Green Road at the M4 junction, along with sections of Frampton Road, Carmarthen Road and Ffynone Road in Uplands.

The council said an extra team had been brought in to “speed up and increase the number of repairs”, with more resurfacing schemes scheduled across the city in the coming weeks as the winter programme continues.

£37m proposed for highways and transport

The council’s proposed budget for 20206/27 is due to be discussed by the council’s cabinet on 19 February. This includes a new Economic Growth Fund which according to the council would include an extra £3m for resurfacing and potholes, taking next year’s roads budget to more than £12m within a wider £37m allocation for highways and transport.

Popular Murton postmaster retires after 39 years of service

Third generation to serve the community

David Jenkins has retired after running Murton Post Office since 1986. He is the third generation of his family to serve as postmaster, following in the footsteps of his grandmother Annie Mary Jenkins, who first took on the role in 1936, and his aunt Lilly, who succeeded her in 1957.

The branch, on Manselfield Road, has been in the same location throughout that time. Originally a laundry house in the 1880s, the building later became a shop, tearoom and living accommodation before evolving into the Post Office and store that remains today.

Local roots and community service

Born and raised in neighbouring Bishopston, David has deep roots in the area, tracing his family history back to the 1600s in Bishopston and Pwll Du. Alongside his wife Helen, who managed the shop, he has been a familiar face to generations of customers.

During the pandemic, the couple kept the Post Office open by serving customers at the front door, ensuring the community could continue to access essential services safely.

“Time is now right to retire”

Reflecting on his retirement, David said:

“I have been the postmaster for more than 39 years, but I have had links to Murton Post Office and shop my entire life, helping my aunt from the age of eight.

People are very grateful that there is a Post Office here to send parcels and do their banking. The time is now right for Helen and I to retire. People are sad that we are stepping down, but pleased that there are new owners.”

Warm tributes

Post Office Area Manager Ryan Leonard praised David’s “long and loyal service,” adding:

“He really is at the heart of the community. Not many postmasters can say they are the third generation running a branch for nearly 87 years. David and Helen will be sorely missed, but they will continue to live locally.”

New chapter for Murton

The branch has now been taken over by new postmaster Rajmohan Puvanethiran, who assumed the role on 6 October. David and Helen will remain involved for a short time to support the handover.

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#Bishopston #Gower #ManselfieldRoad #Murton #MurtonPostOffice #PostOffice #postmaster #PwllDu #retirement

Residents say they’re ‘Pooped Off’ with Gower sewage spills

Local resident, David Haines-Hanham is behind the protest which saw over 70 local residents cover the gates of the treatment works with anti-sewage posters and messages from the local community.

These included slogans such as “I came here to swim, not to marinade in bum broth” and “Welsh Water – No more turd waves”.

Mr Haines-Hanham explained: “This started a couple of years ago when I was stand-up paddleboarding with my daughter Maddie. It was a nice day. It hadn’t rained for 24 hours. We were coming back from Caswell to Brandy Cove. The water was about a metre deep and we were enjoying looking at the seaweed and the rocks. All of a sudden where the pipe outfall is the water turns a disgusting brown. The smell is unmistakeable. The filth was horrible. It was unmistakably a sewage slick.

“Next time we were walking along the cliffs just before one of the autumn storms were coming in. It hadn’t rained for two days. We looked over to Brandy Cove. It was high tide and there was an unmistakeable brown patch again with all the black headed gulls having a feast. In my mind it was a sewage slick in preparation for a storm that hadn’t even happened yet.”

Mr Haines-Hanham says he has a clear message for Welsh Water. “You’ve failed to futureproof your infrastructure. Since the UV treatment was brought in, it doesn’t seem to me that you’ve looked to the future. You haven’t looked 20 years time, which is where we are now. You’ve done nothing to prepare for the prevention of pollution incidents.

“I don’t know much about the politics of Welsh Water, but I do know they’ve just asked us as bill payers for more money. I say just use that money – our money – to mend your outdated systems. Put money in the right places to make our sea cleaner.”  

Mr Haines-Hanham said: “I’ve explained the ‘snowball effect’ to my kids, and their hope is that our small action will encourage and inspire other communities to do similar at treatment works that regularly underperform and allow sewage to be released into the sea.”

Meanwhile Welsh Water say they’re investing £2.5bn on environmental projects over the next 5 years and that some pollution issues are due to surface-water run-off and poorly maintained private septic systems.

A spokesperson for Welsh Water said: “Storm overflows play a vital role in preventing homes being flooded following heavy rain. 

“We cannot completely remove storm overflows as it would cost between £9-£14 billion and involve digging up almost every street in Wales.

“We understand there is increased concern about water quality and we are working to improve things with £2.5bn investment on environmental projects in our current investment period (2025-30).

“This comes after we invested £1.4bn in our wastewater system in the decade to 2025, which helped ensure Wales’ amazing coastline is blessed with almost a quarter of the UK’s Blue Flag beaches despite having just 15% of its coastline. 

“The latest Bathing Water results for Wales also showed that 98% of the designated bathing waters meet stringent quality standards – with almost 70% meeting the highest ‘Excellent’ water quality standard.

“A number of factors can impact water quality including surface water runoff, misconnections – as we saw recently in a social media video shared of waste on the rocks between Langland and Rotherslade, rural land use and poorly maintained private septic tanks.

“You can get accurate and up-to-date information on spills from our storm overflows on this map.”

In response to Welsh Water’s statement, Mr Haines-Hanham reflected on the launch of regulator OfWat’s pollution enforcement investigation into Welsh Water in July 2024.

A similar investigation into Thames Water resulted in fines of nearly £123m for the company.

He said: “I only speak from the experience of what one family has experienced on one beach. Our experiences were categorically NOT during heavy rain periods.

“I also dispute the claim that the overflow map is accurate having been given conflicting information on the day I spoke to them. 

“Have we just been incredibly unlucky/lucky to witness these things or have Welsh Water just been getting away with it unnoticed?

“I’ve a feeling that their increase in investment is a result of the start of this investigation and I would love to see a breakdown of investment from the last 20 years compared to money taken from customers.

“As one sign said on Saturday – ‘You take our money now take some responsibility’ and another one saying ‘They have failed to futureproof infrastructure – use OUR extra money to mend your outdated system’.”

#Bishopston #BrandyCove #Caswell #featured #Gower #pollution #sewage #WelshWater

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An English Pale cask collaboration with #TheDrapersArms on Gloucester Road, CarlsBrew, is settled and ready to be tapped. First pour at Bruhaha at 4pm 10/7.

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Bishopston pupils learn new business skills thanks to innovative partnership

A new partnership between entrepreneurial education organisation 2B Enterprising, and careers app company Yondur launched a collaboration with pupils from Year 1 on Friday 28 March, which focused on the soft skills, and curiosity of networking.

Six-year-old Amelia said of the session: “I liked meeting new people”, while Senan aged six too said: “I learned to be brave today, I learned how to be kind and I’ve learned how to make new friends and show kindness back.”

Pupils will further engage in hands-on lessons and practical activities through The Bumbles of Honeywood programme, designed to bring enterprise education to life through meaningful business partnerships. This initiative offers young students the opportunity to learn key skills while connecting with real-world business experiences.

The Bumbles of Honeywood programme pairs businesses with local primary schools to enable pupils to gain access to its bespoke educational resources. The books, lesson plans, and downloadable resources, which are funded by each partner business, aim to inspire young minds by fostering entrepreneurial skills and encouraging an engaging, fun approach to learning about enterprise in the classroom.

In turn businesses have the opportunity to develop a relationship with their partner schools, which improves community engagement and strengthens future employment and enterprise skills.

Based in South Wales, Yondur, which is a careers app supporting lifelong education and personal development is the latest business to sign up to the educational partnership, joining industry leading companies including Sony, ETeach, Principality Building Society, Swansea.com and National Grid.

Jayne Brewer, Chief Executive of 2B Enterprising said: “We are thrilled to welcome Yondur to our 2B Enterprising family. They have chosen to support Bishopston Primary School in Wales, not only are children gaining valuable enterprise skills through our programme, but they are also discovering career opportunities with Yondur.

“The Bumbles of Honeywood programme is such a fantastic way to teach young people about the benefits of enterprise and entrepreneurial education, and thanks to the support of businesses like Yondur, over four hundred  schools have partnered with businesses across England and Wales, with pupils and businesses alike seeing the benefits of this unique programme.

“We encourage even more businesses to get involved and support schools in their communities, helping us to inspire and nurture the next generation of business leaders.”

Sophie Jordan, Head of Partnerships from Yondur, commented: “We’re thrilled to be working with 2B Enterprising, as we align with their values and purpose, in that we help teachers, schools, and young people build essential human skills in an increasingly digital world. Together, we believe in fostering curiosity, confidence, and awareness early in life, and I can’t wait to see this partnership develop for the benefit of the school.

“I was absolutely blown away by the enthusiasm and questions asked by pupils of Bishopston Primary School during our first session. Learning new skills like networking in a fun and informal way will undoubtedly help develop the children’s’ confidence and lay strong foundations for their future careers, and ambitions.”

In the last year, 2B Enterprising says it has engaged with more than 100 corporate partners in sectors as diverse as construction, hospitality, finance, technology, retail and tourism.

#2BEnterprising #Bishopston #BishopstonPrimarySchool #education #TheBumblesOfHoneywood