Roads and pumps still in place
Swansea Council confirmed on Wednesday morning that Cwmbwrla roundabout remains open, with pumping equipment continuing to divert water away from a damaged culvert near Cwmfelin Social Club.
At present, both inbound lanes of the A483 Carmarthen Road between Cwmbwrla roundabout and the Gors Avenue junction remain closed to city‑bound traffic. The highway is being used to accommodate large pumps that are keeping water levels under control.
(Images: Cllr Peter Black)
In a statement issued on Facebook, the council said:
“Understandably, many of you are probably wondering why the route into the city centre remains closed to traffic.
At present, the highway is being used to accommodate large pumping equipment that is helping to divert water away from the damaged culvert located at the Cwmfelin Social Club. This is also to allow for the removal and replacement of the damaged pumping equipment as a consequence of the flooding. Without these in place, we could suffer further flooding, particularly with more heavy rainfall overnight.
When this is done, we will be able to reopen one lane of Carmarthen Road to allow traffic into the city centre.
Heol y Gors remains fully closed to traffic.
Our highways teams and partner agencies have been working day and night to ensure everything is back to normal as quickly as possible.
Many thanks for your patience.”
Families forced from their homes
For residents, the impact has been devastating. Nigel Davies and his 80‑year‑old father Ian were rescued by boat from their home of half a century after water poured through their front door on Sunday afternoon.
Nigel described watching his fridge float through the kitchen as floodwater rose to thigh height. His father, who is bedbound, was carried to safety by emergency crews.
“My father has lived in that house for 50 years, it’s where he built a family. All of his memories of my mother are wrapped up in that house. It was really, really difficult for him to see what had happened,” Nigel said.
The pair are now in temporary accommodation, but with complex accessibility needs and insurance assessments still ongoing, it could be months before they return home.
Businesses counting the cost
Along Mansel Terrace, businesses have also been left reeling. QV Vehicle Hire and neighbouring garages reported severe damage, with equipment, tools and stock destroyed.
Owner Malcolm Perrin said:
“They are small businesses, they rely on everyday trade. They’ve still got to pay wages and bills but they’ve got nothing coming in. Nobody has come around to give them any assistance.”
With power still out in parts of the area, many traders remain unable to reopen.
Cause of the flooding
Council leader Rob Stewart said the flooding was linked to a collapsed culvert on private land near Cwmfelin Social Club.
“A number of pumps have been deployed on site to help remove the water from this location and we are working to ensure this busy route is reopened as soon as possible,” he said.
Welsh Water confirmed the culvert is not owned or maintained by the company, but said its teams had been working “round the clock” to restore services and clean up the area.
A long‑running issue
As Swansea Bay News previously reported, the collapsed Burlais Brook culvert beneath Cwmfelin Social Club has been at the centre of repeated flooding and road closures. Councillors have warned that permanent repairs cannot begin until the club is demolished — a process expected to take months.
During Sunday’s flooding, cars were submerged at the roundabout, buses were diverted, and emergency crews deployed boats to rescue residents. Social media even showed people paddleboarding through the floodwater.
Community support
Despite the devastation, neighbours and friends have rallied. A fundraising page set up for Nigel and his father has already attracted donations, though Nigel says he hopes to pass the money on to other charities if insurance covers the damage.
“The fact that people have looked at the situation and felt they could put their hands in their pocket is touching, and it makes a huge psychological difference,” he said.
