FLYTIPPING on the Wales Coast Path between Duffryn and Maesglas is becoming a problem, the Conservative candidate for Newport West in next year’s general election has said.

Nick Webb, from Allt-yr-yn, said he was walking along the path when he noticed plastic piping, insulation, wood and other building materials dumped on the Newport section of the route which runs 870 miles around Wales.

Litter including plastic bags and food waste scarred the path, even at points close to houses, he claimed.

And he said the council should do more to combat the problem.

“The path is a great thing – you can walk all the way around Wales”, he said. “But you get to the Newport stretch and that’s not the scene you want to be greeted with.

“I walked from Duffryn to Maesglas and back out to the Southern Distributor Road and there was a lot of litter dropped all of the way.

“My firm understanding is it’s the council’s responsibility to maintain it in each area. It’s not enough to just mark it; they have to make it a pleasant experience to walk as well.”

He said the litter could be dispiriting for people living nearby: “It just takes one lorry load of junk to be dropped and the work they do to maintain their garden and their driveway goes out the window. There’s no excuse for it, whatever the reason.”

A spokeswoman for Newport City Council said: “Newport City Council, partner organisations and local groups have carried out much work along the coast path over recent years and particularly after the high tides of this year. From one clean-up alone, over six tonnes of waste were removed. We and our partners will continue to regularly attend the area and organise clean up events appropriately.

“However, littering and fly-tipping are the responsibility of the people using the path and general public. We urge people to take their litter home and when disposing of other waste, ensure they are using a licensed company to prevent fly-tipping. If anyone has information about fly-tipping incidents anywhere in Newport, we also urge them to contact the council and we will endeavour to bring prosecutions again those breaking the law.

“We are always looking for litter champions to help us tackle local issues – please get in touch if you are interested.”