NEWPORT Council has spent thousands of pounds in recent years patching up a city centre street – and it doesn’t know the last time it was fully repaved.
A short walk up Charles Street in central Newport promises bricks, dark tiles, grey tiles and tarmac of varying greys underfoot.
A Freedom of Information request has revealed Newport City Council has parted ways with more than £9,800 to repair the street paving since April 2018. A further £55,936 has been spent on repairing Commercial Street in that time, and a further £2,657 on the adjacent Llanarth Street.
Charles Street - or "Arles Street", as the lettering would have you believe, has been the subject of 39 requests for groundwork that would require lifting the paving.
The same FOI, submitted by Welsh Conservative campaigner Michael Enea, shows that Commercial Street and Llanarth Street have not been fully repaved since 2002.
The council’s response reveals “it is not known” when Charles Street was last relayed.
Mr Enea, who stood to be MS for Newport West in 2021, said: “We need new street furniture, open green spaces and sculptured concrete kerbs for traffic and pedestrian control.”
He points to Wind Street in Swansea as an example of how Newport’s high streets could look.
“The street lampposts and lighting should be upgraded and, of course, new public toilets would be a bonus.
“Let’s get the city looking presentable for business and attractive for visitors. At least make an effort,” Mr Enea said.
Newport City Council has been approached for comment.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel