South Wales Evening Post - 7 March 2007
Anti-litter campaigners say Swansea's messy approach roads could be damaging to the city's efforts to build a reputation as a first-class tourist destination.
They say first impressions count and Swansea is letting itself down with litter-strewn roads.
Drivers coming into the city along its main eastern approach at Fabian Way pass empty crisp packets, drink bottles and other rubbish in the central reservation. The mess is building daily.
Now Keep Wales Tidy bosses say the messy gateway could be damaging the city's image.
Wynne Williams said: "Litter is a quality indicator of a city and visitors to Swansea will draw their own conclusions about it from the state of Fabian Way.
"It is a well-known fact that visitors and potential investors are influenced by the amount of litter and graffiti in a place. It is something that leaves a lasting impression."
Keep Wales Tidy runs campaigns to improve tourism across the country, as well as trying to persuade drivers not to drop rubbish from their windows.
Mr Williams said: "People in cars are more likely to litter, because they do not have to see the consequences.
"They can drop some litter and as soon as they let go of it, it is behind them.
"The other problem with drivers, or people in cars, is that it is very difficult to prosecute.
"We would like to see the police and councils taking this more seriously.
"Anyone who sees someone dropping litter from a car should take down the number and report it to the police."
Drivers who drop litter can be fined up to £2,500.
The Fabian Way comments are part of a growing tide of complaints about litter in the city.
A spokesman for Swansea Council said the central reservation could only be cleaned once every two months to minimise traffic disruption.
He added: "Swansea Council works very hard to minimise the blight of littering in our communities.
"It is important that residents and visitors play their part by not dropping litter in the first place. Dropping litter is also a safety issue, particularly if it is being dropped by motorists from their cars, and the council urges people to stop doing it.
"Fabian Way is cleaned regularly by the council. The pavement area is litter-picked once a week. The gutters are mechanically swept every fortnight.
"Grassed areas on the central reservation are cleaned every eight weeks to minimise traffic disruption caused by the need to close a lane in each direction to allow the work to be carried out safely."
