‘It’s disgusting, it’s not right’ – anger halts piling work, but disruption could last another year
RESIDENTS on Bute Street have suffered noise and disruption day and night during work on Transport for Wales’s new South Wales Metro project.
Roadworks during the day overlapping with loud piling at night has meant that locals have had 24-hour periods of on-and-off noise.
Margaret, 67, has a disabled granddaughter who was woken up at 2am by piling.
“It’s disgusting, it’s not right,” said the grandmother, who does not want her full name used.
The worst thing is that noise and disruption are compounded, with so many works going on at the same time, she said.
“It’s not so bad when the piling stops but then the diggers start again at 7.30am.”
The noise of the piling was measured at over 100 decibels on the street where they live, using a high-quality microphone and a noise level app. This is the equivalent of being on a subway train.
A large stretch of Bute Street has been narrowed with temporary traffic lights but is due to reopen fully on December 6.
Denise Bridgeman, 74, is looking forwards to the road being reopened.
She is elderly and disabled and used to be able to park outside her house to take her shopping in. Now she must park up to three streets away.
“It might be alright for the young people but not for us,” she said.
Residents have also suffered from the lack of public transport during the roadworks.
There’s now only one bus every hour on weekdays and Saturdays, and none run on Sunday, Monday or bank holidays.
Five buses an hour come up Lloyd George Avenue, but she would have to walk up steps to get there.
This is especially difficult for Mrs Bridgeman and her husband because of their disabilities. They haven’t been offered any suggestions to get around this.
“I am angry. It’s a nuisance,” she said.
They also have grandchildren who are disturbed by the noise.
“It’s disruptive but it’s got to be done.”
Residents say they are angry because letters warning them about the piling were delivered just days before it started. Some said they had not received a letter at all.
“Never received a letter from them. Their communication is extremely poor or, should I say, appalling and non-existent,” the Rev Dean Atkins, who runs St. Mary’s Church on Bute Street, said in a Facebook comment.
“It is not acceptable that the work is taking place at such short notice, or apparently without enough consideration of the wider impact,” said the Atlantic Wharf Residents’ Association.
Following complaints from residents and councillors, TfW has delayed the rest of the piling work to give more notice. It is now due to occur throughout January, with exact dates to be confirmed.
A spokesperson for TfW said: “Planned night-time piling works scheduled for Saturday November 30 and December have been cancelled, and new day shifts are being booked for January 2025.
“For the rescheduled day shifts in January 2025, we will be proactively engaging with the community to ensure there is awareness and understanding of the works. The dates in January will be shared once confirmed with the planning team.”
Roadworks will continue on Bute Street, with the latest update saying they will continue until December 1, 2025.
