Posted: Wed 5th Oct 2016

Swansea Council’s Battle With The Weeds Goes To A Second Round

This article is old - Published: Wednesday, Oct 5th, 2016

Swansea Council’s streetscene teams are taking on roadside weeds for a second round in their battle with the perennial pests. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The council has already treated 1,500km of roadside around the city over the summer with weedkiller to keep the unwanted plants at bay. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The move comes after requests from councillors and the public to tackle the weed problem which has been particularly prevalent this summer. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Cllr David Hopkins, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Transportation and Environment, said: “Weeds are both unsightly and resilient. While you can never completely get rid of them, we are doing all we can to keep them back as much as possible. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’ve had complaints from residents and councillors and where necessary we’ve also sent our NEAT team and other staff to pull weeds and treat them in places where they’ve been a particular problem, like in the marina area. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“But this latest work should not only kill-off many weeds ahead of the winter, but prevent grow-back next spring too.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Weeds can’t be treated in wet weather because the treatment will wash away but it’s expected all 1,500km of the council’s roadside network will have got a visit from the teams in the next few weeks. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The normal growing season for weeds ends in October but council teams will keep up the work beyond that time to help prevent weed re-growth next year as well. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tourism operators in Swansea have welcomed the council’s war on the weeds. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Tony McGettrick, of tourist operators’ organisation Tourism Swansea Bay, said: “The fewer unsightly weeds there are, the more people will enjoy Swansea Bay, our wonderful attractions and the brilliant wild flowers initiative which has seen such a great deal of positive feedback.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​



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