Residents complain about noise, smells, road safety and abuse from customers
STREET trading on four roads in Whitchurch has been stopped by Cardiff Council due to complaints from residents about food vans.
Noise, nuisance and safety concerns are among the objections to a number of food vans operating at different times for over six years on the Tynewydd and College Road junction.
After similar proposals were rejected following complaints in 2015, the council today decided to prohibit street trading on Tynant, Tynewydd, College Road and College Close from March 8.
“It has been a nightmare for us, we have had nothing but trouble and it’s taken over six years of complaining,” said Holly Cawley, who lives on Tynewydd, next to where the food vans park.
“We have had to deal with so many issues over the years such as people eating their burgers outside my house and wolf whistling at you as you take your children to school.
“Also, the noise of the generators starting at 6.45am Monday to Saturday, the stink of burgers on our washing and customers parking on the corners of the street where, on number of occasions, cyclists and children crossing the road have nearly been run over.”
Ella Marie Azman, who also lives nearby, claims she’s also had problems with some of the customers using the vans.
“I have three daughters who during lockdown would not go out the front of our house because of the abuse they would get from the people using it,” she said.
“A friend of mine also had her wing mirror smashed off as cars couldn’t get through the traffic chaos.”
The food vans previously parked on the grass area of the College Road junction but then moved to the newly installed resident parking lay-by on Tynewydd.
The council also received a complaint that a van in the lay-by was running a power cable across a pavement into a nearby property.
Nearby resident, Gareth Owen, said: “I’m not against anyone making a living but having six or seven builders’ vans parked all over the junction is dangerous.
“A food van that parked in the brand-new lay-by designed for residents parking never moved once it was parked and it stayed in the lay-by day and night, taking up two car parking spaces.”
In November 2021 Cardiff Council published notice of its intention to prohibit street trading in the area and invited comments from residents. They received three responses, all of which supported the measures.
One of these anonymised responses said: “A previous street trader more or less destroyed a grass area adjacent to College Road by driving and parking his food van off-road.
“The current food van now takes up two of the four newly created parking spaces for residents.”
Another response said: “The excessive parking from people going to purchase their food includes vans and cars blocking driveways.
“This is an accident waiting to happen and also not very nice for the residents who live on this road, especially with the constant smell of burgers cooking.”
At today’s Public Protection Committee meeting, Cardiff Council unanimously agreed to prohibit street trading in the area.
Licensing Department manager Daniel Cook said: “This is a particular issue because it is near a primary school where we know that lots of children use the crossing and there were parking issues and safety concerns specific to that location.”
But the decision to stop the vans trading at the site has not been supported by everyone living and working nearby.
Mair Davies who said: “I live close to the van but it doesn’t affect me as it’s not open all night, only during the daytime.
“It’s a shame that just three objections will close down a business and people trying to make a living, maybe the council should take a survey of people living close by to see how they feel?”
Debbie Cross said: “As a hard-working carer for people in their own homes we have several clients in the area and there is nothing better than a hot meal or drink in the winter months.
“This van was heaven, sent to us as a lifeline in fact. It’s so upsetting to see it go.”
Whitchurch resident Cerys Ryan said: “I’m for the van staying. At the end of the day, it’s someone’s livelihood and who are they hurting being there?
“They’re not open every day at all hours through the night, they’re not directly parked outside someone’s house, there’s no queues holding up the road or pavement and there’s no parking issues.”
The owners of the van most recently seen at the site were approached for comment but have not responded.
