Residents criticise 'ugly' metro electrification works

Ted Peskett, local democracy reporter

Residents, whose homes back onto a railway track, are unhappy with the appearance of recent work done by Transport for Wales (TFW).

TFW is currently carrying out work to electrify a number of lines that connect Cardiff with the Valleys.

Residents in Cyncoed, Cardiff, have complained about sight of large metal structures, and are worried it may have affected house prices.

[mid-content-banner]

Visual impact

The work involved the installation of metal gantries and wires along sections of railway track across the city, part of TFW’s South Wales Metro project.

A number of residents living on Windemere Avenue, in Cyncoed, said they were notified by TFW about electrification works, but they weren’t aware of the visual impact it would have.

One resident on Windemere Avenue who did not want to be named said: “We weren’t expecting the impact it would have on the view at the back of the garden and before all we could see were trees and occasionally bits of the Allensbank Graveyard, but that was in the winter.”

“We think it might have affected the house prices.”

Referencing one of a number of properties on the street that have been put up for sale over the past year, the resident added that they “couldn’t understand” why it had seemingly dropped in price.

“It’s great to have electrification, but obviously it affects our homes. There was no advance warning of what it would look like. It’s pretty ugly.”

Affected houses

Another resident, who did not want to be named, said the electrification works had “certainly affected houses around here”.

They added: “We let the hedge grow thinking that it would block it out.”

“We grew the hedge to be higher than the fencing and then the next thing [we knew] all of the wiring was put in.”

TFW carried out testing of electrification overhead power lines in Cardiff on February 1 and 2.

The TfW website states that its delivery partners for the Metro do not need planning permission to carry out upgrades to the railway line.

Unsafe vegetation

As part of the wider Metro scheme, TFW’s plan is to ultimately electrify 170km of track and will include lines to Aberdare, Coryton, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhymney and Treherbert.

A TFW spokesperson said: “As part of the transformational South Wales Metro project we will be electrifying 170km of track to allow us to operate our brand-new electric trains.”

“This involves the installation of Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) in accordance with industry guidelines to ensure the equipment, which carries 25,000 volts, is a safe height and distance from buildings and objects.”

The spokesperson said: “We will not be planting trees for the purposes of screening OLE, any areas identified as suitable for planting will be based on health and safety risks, maintenance, and ecology as per our organisational requirements and commitments.”

“Where overgrown trees have been removed for safety reasons or for the installation of infrastructure, it is not appropriate to replant trees in these same areas as this work is essential to ensure the safe running of the railway.”

“Vegetation near the railway can be a hazard and a tree falling across the track could result in a severe accident."

They added: “We’ll also be undertaking routine management of unsafe vegetation – such as removing dead, dying or diseased trees and cutting back vegetation which is too close to the line.”