Rats Infest Pottery Road Amid Ongoing Fly-Tipping Issues
Residents of Pottery Road in Pillgwenlly, Newport, report an infestation of rats described as "the same size as a rabbit" on a street plagued by persistent fly-tipping. The area has become a frequent dumping ground for bagged waste and discarded household items, particularly in disused and overgrown sections.
According to Stats Wales, Newport recorded 7,318 fly-tipping incidents between 2024 and 2025, making it the local authority with the highest number of such incidents in Wales.
Newport City Council expressed frustration over the issue, stating it is "as sick of fly-tipping in our city as our residents are," and noted that rubbish is removed daily alongside enforcement actions.
Residents Describe the Severity of the Problem
Shane Williams, 48, a property owner on Pottery Road, stated that the rat problem has persisted for over 18 months. He highlighted the impact on residents, mentioning an elderly woman who "was too scared to go out because of the fly tipping [and] rats, it's a bit disgusting." Williams emphasized the size of the rats, saying they were "the same size as a rabbit."
David Wall, 63, who has lived on the street for 44 years, described the contents of the dumped black bags, which included dirty nappies, food waste, and even a dead rat, resulting in a foul odor.
"I just found myself being hyper-vigilant, constantly on edge 24 hours a day,"
he said, referring to the toll the vermin and fly-tipping have taken on his mental health.
Wall also reported that rats have entered some homes on the street. He described the unpleasant conditions, particularly during summer months when flies and maggots are prevalent.
"Some days, I would feel quite nauseous because of the stench of some of the hot spots where the rats tend to sort of congregate, festering rubbish. Especially in the summer months when you have flies and maggots. That would make me ill, that would make anybody ill."
He added that the smell of rats is "unmistakable," and once experienced, it can be immediately identified.
"You can even see the grease on the walls where the rats tend to rub along with all the rubbish."
Wall recounted an incident where "three little kids" were "chasing two rats around." He reflected on his childhood experiences with pests but noted that the current situation is different.
"I grew up in this area myself in a lot of old condemned housing, so as a child it was nothing to see a rat or a cockroach or anything like that. But this is a whole new thing... they didn't seem a little bit phased at all, these little kids."
Fly-Tipping Trends and Council Response
Fly-tipping remains a significant issue across many Welsh local authorities, with the latest figures indicating the highest number of incidents in 17 years. Although Newport recorded the highest number of fly-tipping incidents last year, it experienced a 10% decrease compared to 2023-2024.
Newport City Council reported conducting "almost 2,400 enforcement actions, the highest number of any local authority in Wales" during 2024-25. The council has also installed CCTV cameras on Pottery Road to address the problem.
David Wall acknowledged some improvements due to CCTV but noted limitations.
"Only captures the hotspots and not where offenders are coming from."
A council spokesperson stated:
"Pottery Road is an area known to us for issues. It is why we have CCTV cameras monitoring it. Our cameras have full coverage of the street. The placement of the cameras has led us to successfully fine one individual £400 for fly-tipping on this site, and we have two further cases which we are seeking to progress to prosecution. Our waste enforcement teams visit the street every weekday morning to monitor issues and remove any fly-tipping we find."
Challenges and Public Responsibility
David Wall suggested that some residents' misunderstanding of the recycling system and the three-week interval for black bag collections exacerbate the problem.
Newport City Council emphasized proper waste disposal practices:
"Dirty nappies and food waste should not be being dumped in black bags. We collect food waste every week as part of our recycling collections. We also run a dedicated fortnightly nappy and hygiene waste collection service, which people can request via our website. Although we are doing everything we can, there is also an onus on people taking pride in their area, by doing the right thing and disposing of their waste correctly. Ultimately, it is people who are fly-tipping, not the council, and the responsibility lies with them not to do it."
National Efforts to Combat Fly-Tipping
Fly-tipping Action Wales, a national partnership coordinated by Natural Resources Wales and funded by the Welsh government, highlighted the environmental and community impacts of fly-tipping.
"Fly-tipping harms our environment, endangers wildlife, disrupts local communities and is expensive to clean up."
The organization is collaborating with local authorities on a national awareness campaign scheduled for spring, focusing on educating the public that leaving bags of waste next to public litter bins constitutes fly-tipping. The campaign will also promote responsible household waste management.
Fly-tipping Action Wales is providing ten new cameras for use across Pillgwenlly to capture evidence of fly-tippers.
