Sand fences will help prevent wind blowing sand on main road in Swansea

Sand fences are set to be installed along parts of Swansea Bay to prevent sand blowing onto a nearby roads and pavements.

High winds at the beginning of the year caused major problems for motorists and promenade users when sand blew from the beach onto the prom and Oystermouth Road.

The results of the severe weather led to an urgent response by Swansea Council to clear up several tonnes of sand, transferring it to a nearby site. Sand levels on Swansea beach have grown by about a metre to a metre and a half over the last decade.

The Council has now collaborated with Natural Resources Wales on a pilot scheme to introduce a sustainable way of managing wind-blown sand.

The sand trapping fencing will help create sand dunes further down the beach and away from the sea wall.

Once the fencing is completed the planting of Marram and Lyme grass inside the enclosure will help trap and stabilise the windblown sand.

David Hopkins, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transportation, said: “It’s inevitable that sand from the beach will be deposited on coastal spots like the promenade and Oystermouth Road.

“It’s become more of an issue in recent years. “We spend over £20,000 year clearing sand from these areas and parts of the city’s Sandfields community. Our staff work very hard to sweep up these deposits and return as much sand as possible to the beach, but specialists tell us this pilot scheme could help cut down on the problem in an environmentally friendly and sustainable way.

“If the scheme works, it also means we’ll be saving money on sand clearance work that can then be invested in other highway improvement projects like road and pavement upgrades instead. The nature of the pilot project means it will likely be a few years before we’re in a position to gauge its impact.”

Jerry Griffiths from Natural Resources Wales said: “The sand dune restoration will deliver multiple benefits for the local people and environment. As well as reducing maintenance costs, the dunes will create a habitat for plants and wildlife, increasing the biodiversity of the area and creating a more natural beach.

“The new dune system will also provide a natural flood defence for Swansea Bay, improving the level of protection from future extreme weather events and sea level rise.”

The Council has confirmed that play equipment near the site has been removed to enable the installation of the fences to take place and is looking for an alternative site to reinstall the play equipment.