{"id":26110,"date":"2018-02-23T19:40:23","date_gmt":"2018-02-23T19:40:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/jomec.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/?p=26110"},"modified":"2018-02-23T19:40:23","modified_gmt":"2018-02-23T19:40:23","slug":"university-accused-building-anti-homeless-cycle-racks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cardiffjournalism.co.uk\/thecardiffian\/2018\/02\/23\/university-accused-building-anti-homeless-cycle-racks\/","title":{"rendered":"University accused of building "anti-homeless" cycle racks"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEW cycle racks and metal gratings at Cardiff University have been criticised for being \u201canti-homeless\u201d.
\nThe new racks cover a well-known rough sleeper spot on a walkway between Park Place and Museum Avenue, which was popular because of the heat coming from nearby vents which warmed rough sleepers.
\nAdditional gratings were added to the original cage structure over the vents on Tuesday after several bike racks were earlier placed in front of them, making it impossible for homeless people to sleep there.
\nThe new gratings do not actually cover the vent, but are instead attached to the side of the original metalwork at the School of Biosciences.
\nWhile the university has refused to comment on the changes, the new metalwork has drawn criticism from various quarters.
\nA rough sleeper, who used to bed down in the area said: \u201cIt\u2019s terrible. It sounds like the girl who used to sleep there had found somewhere warm to sleep in the city.\u201d
\n\u201cWhat lengths they go to\u201d, said Julie Malki, a volunteer for charity, Hope for the Homeless.
\n\u201cIt looks like they had a bit of shelter under there, so move them into the wet and cold and then people wonder how they are passing (away).\u201d
\nJodie Bevan, 32, from Rhondda Cynon Taff, questioned how much the work had cost.
\n\u201cIt’s disgusting. I think it\u2019s absolutely terrible that they are doing that to stop them sleeping there,\u201d she said.
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