Littering, parking and lack of cycle paths are among the biggest issues Cathays residents are dealing with on a daily basis.
As a student populated area, many of the issues in Cathays are due to the student night time lifestyle which can lead to complaints of anti-social behaviour.
These issues do not seem to have improved much over the last 10-15 years, according to Phil Davies, an executive administrator working at Cardiff University, who knows the area well.
We went to Cathays to find out what local residents thought the main issues affecting them were.
Norma Mackie, Cathays local councillor
“The main are issues in Cathays itself are waste, anti-social behaviour, parking and, for families, play areas for children. Lots of work is being done to bring communities together and to try and encourage students to be a part of the community and to care for it as well.
We still have a problem with litter but the problem is not having more bins. It’s more of food being put in the recycling bags and then not picked up by the council. The bags get ripped by seagulls and waste is all over the pavements.
We have also given houses with a front garden black bins and that has helped. Waste is thrown on the floor even when bins are available and we are working with the universities to try and get the message across to students.
There are also lots of good things happening. We have been given a grant to support bio diversity and we are working with the university to have community-maintained planters around Cathays that will attract bees.
The Next bikes have had a great impact and are a part of the plan to reduce air pollution and congestion in the City. The new cycle highway has been built in Cathays, physically segregating cyclists, pedestrians and cars.
There are plans to extend them throughout the City Centre to the Bay and to the outskirts of the city.”
Ben Thomas, on a graduate scheme at the Ministry of Defence, 22
“I think there are a few issues. Sometimes, when people put their rubbish out on bin day, they put their bins out late, or you do see an overflow of rubbish on the streets.
Another issue is that the roads aren’t that good, probably because it is a predominantly student area. Not as much money is invested in the area to keep the roads to a good standard. And, finally, the overflow of traffic, which links back to the roads… the roads are too narrow.”
Alice Townsend, student, 22
“I would say one of the main issues is the parking spaces. Two of my housemates have cars and they really struggle to find spaces.
And often, when they go to the shop, they will have to park and walk ten minutes to get back to their house.”
Adam Warne, secondary school teacher in Barry, 22
“Parking I would say would be the main issue. It just takes so long to park, especially with not being a student and moving the car every day.
The bins, as well. I think just because there are so many people. If there are 7 or 8 people in the house, then you need your bins being emptied more than once a week.”
Monisah, student, 21
“On bin days, there are bins everywhere. I have even seen some rats. On Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays its usually very, very, noisy. There are people screaming outside their flats.”
Llio Mererid, student, 22
“Obviously, the bins are still an issue. But also, I cycle from Cathays to Uni and back. There’s sometimes glass on the cycle lanes. It’s not great when I am cycling along to swerve around because I could get hit by a car.
As well, on Cathays terrace I have found that cars don’t tend to respect that there is a cycle lane and still go into the cycle lane when they are not supposed to. It makes me feel like I am not very safe when I am cycling.
And regarding the new path at the back of the Student’s Union, there is a massive construction in the middle of it so I still have to go into the road quite blindly, over a bump, and then go back into the cycle lane. Once you get out of Cathays you find better cycling lines.”
Maddie Day, barista, 20
“the bin rubbish, in the mornings when the bins are out oh my god its actually disgusting, I’d say that’s pretty bad” “I never got broken into but I guess that’d be a bad problem to get”.