Vandals move in quickly to destroy trees
LESS than 24 hours after they were installed, a number of trees have been snapped and broken on a Cardiff street.
Police have confirmed that they are investigating criminal damage to trees on Wellfield Road which was reported at 11.40pm on Sunday.
Inquiries were carried out in the area and these are continuing today, including checking CCTV and speaking to witnesses.
The council carried out work over the weekend to install the trees and add temporary barriers to help local businesses on the Roath street, as they start to re-open. The new safety barriers and trees have replaced some of the on-street parking spaces. They said the work was part of a pilot “to create safer spaces for the public in neighbourhood shopping areas”.
But by Sunday night some of the trees, which cost around £350 each, had been snapped and broken.
One resident said he saw two men arrive in a car and start snapping the newly installed trees just before midnight on Sunday.
He said: “I know some people aren’t happy with these changes, but this is not ok.”
Oliver Copleston, who lives on Wellfield Road said: “I’m not even surprised. The countless arguments and fights I’ve seen people get into with Wellfield business owners just trying to abide by lockdown rules proves how fragile some people are to change.
“That being said, I do feel that the council failed to reach a good compromise in their final design which left a lot of people unhappy about the removal of parking.
“On top of that, they didn’t warn nor work with residents on the scheme, and only gave two days notice of a road closure.”
Council Leader Huw Thomas said: “A distressing and depressing start to the week.
“Although only temporary on Wellfield Road, we planned re-plant these trees in areas of low canopy cover in Cardiff. So sad. And this comes on top of the tonnes of litter left at Roald Dahl Plass on Friday. What is wrong with some people?”
Cardiff council has said they were investigating along with police.
A Cardiff Council spokesman said: “The affected trees were removed by council officers this morning and four new trees will now be re-ordered.”
Anyone with information can contact South Wales Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting occurrence *229117.