SWANSEA: Beachfront and Dyfatty brought under street rules as cabinet backs e-bike crackdown

Drinking, disorder and dangerous e-bike riding on Swansea‘s seafront are set to come under the same street rules as the city centre, after councillors backed a new order.

Swansea Council‘s Cabinet has agreed a new three-year Public Spaces Protection Order. It extends the city centre rules to the beachfront and Dyfatty for the first time.

The new map takes in the Promenade, the foreshore, the Civic Centre grounds, Swansea Marina on the western side of the River Tawe, and the Dyfatty area.

The seafront has been on the list since the original order came in at the end of 2021. The council said then that beach areas could follow if the city centre scheme worked.

New e-bike and scooter rule reaches the Promenade

The biggest change is a new condition on the dangerous use of e-bikes, scooters and other motorised vehicles in public spaces.

The report to cabinet would put riders who endanger pedestrians in breach. Riding with a face covering to avoid being identified could itself count as a breach.

Breaches carry a £75 fixed penalty, cut to £50 if paid within seven days, with court action and fines of up to £1,000 for those who do not pay.

Alcohol-related nuisance and public disorder remain covered, and the council says those measures have been kept and strengthened.

Cash machine begging targeted, with support promised first

The order also rewrites the old begging rule. It targets people who repeatedly approach the public or station themselves by cash machines and shop doorways. Rough sleeping itself stays outside it.

Homelessness charities Crisis and Shelter raised concerns during the review about the impact of such orders on vulnerable people. The council says their views shaped its emphasis on support.

Cllr Alyson Anthony, cabinet member for children, young people and families, said the scheme would keep “the balanced and safeguarding-led approach that has been central to Swansea’s scheme”.

She said: “We want Swansea’s city centre, beachfront and residential communities to be welcoming, safe and enjoyable places for everyone.”

More than 1,100 interventions under the city centre order, council says

The council says a review found the current order had become an established part of how Swansea tackles anti-social behaviour.

According to the council, officers made more than 1,100 interventions under it during the two years reviewed. More than 230 led to further police action, and over 80 people were referred to support and safeguarding services.

Cllr Anthony said the review showed the order “has made a positive difference”, helping partners tackle anti-social behaviour and support vulnerable people.

The order is part of the Safer Swansea Partnership, which brings together agencies including South Wales Police to tackle community safety.

The council says the police, community safety partners, businesses, Swansea BID and elected members all backed continuing and strengthening the scheme.

Dyfatty streets where regeneration and a police crackdown run side by side

In Dyfatty, the order covers the streets at the heart of the Building a Better Dyfatty programme, led by the Swansea Public Services Board and the police.

Long-empty shops on High Street reopened in June as Dyfatty Junction, a hub bringing public services, community groups and residents under one roof.

Police figures published at the time showed crime in the area down 11.5% and anti-social behaviour down 63.2% between mid-January and mid-May, compared with the same period a year earlier.

Cllr Andrea Harrington, who chairs the Public Services Board, called the programme “the next step” for the area.

She said: “With Dyfatty Junction now open, we have a fantastic opportunity to work alongside local people and our partners to create lasting change and make a tangible difference where it’s needed most.”

Cllr Anthony said the proposals would ensure the powers “remain available where they are needed”.

No date has yet been given for the new order to take effect. Once made, it runs for three years, and anyone affected can challenge it in the High Court within six weeks.