Camera targeted twice in 18 months
The average speed camera outside the Kings Head pub on Llangyfelach Road was first destroyed in May 2024, when it was hacked down with an angle grinder. Video footage of the incident went viral, prompting South Wales Police to launch an appeal and offer a £1,000 reward for information.
After standing dormant for more than a year, a replacement camera was erected on 20 October 2025. But within days the new device was attacked — this time sprayed with red paint, apparently fired from a paint gun, leaving its lenses obscured.
A controversial history
The cameras themselves have long been controversial. Installed in June 2018 as part of a £455,000 road safety initiative, they remained switched off for five years due to technical issues, only becoming operational in June 2023.
The stretch of Llangyfelach Road was reduced from 30mph to 20mph under the Welsh Government’s default 20mph speed limit introduced in September 2023. That policy sparked a record‑breaking petition against its implementation. While Swansea Council later identified 17 roads to revert back to 30mph, Llangyfelach Road was not among them — a decision that has fuelled frustration among motorists.
Enforcement hotspot
The road has also become one of South Wales’ busiest enforcement sites. In August 2025, Llangyfelach Road ranked 6th in the region’s top 20 speeding hotspots, with 3,295 Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs) and 1,116 fixed penalties issued.
GoSafe, the Wales road casualty reduction partnership, says cameras are placed in areas with high collision rates or community concerns about speeding. Four fixed 20mph cameras are being activated across Wales this month as part of wider enforcement measures.
Police investigation
South Wales Police previously confirmed that a man was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage in connection with the 2024 incident, but no further action was taken due to lack of evidence.
The force has yet to issue a statement on the latest vandalism, but enquiries are understood to be ongoing.
Community reaction
Local Facebook groups have been filled with debate since the latest attack, with some residents criticising the 20mph limit and others warning that vandalising cameras undermines road safety efforts.
