Residents near Welsh coal tips fear safety lapses mirroring Aberfan. Evacuations and collapses raise anxieties over tip management.
Coal tips contain waste from coal mining and many have existed for many years. Dianne Morgan lives near the Cwmtillery tip and didn’t know it was dangerous. It slipped after heavy rain, and she wouldn’t have built there if she knew.
Wales has 2,573 old coal tips, most in South Wales’ former mining areas. Of these, 360 tips are very dangerous and are checked yearly. These tips could impact public safety, and Ms. Morgan thinks Aberfan’s lessons weren’t learned.
The Aberfan tip collapsed due to rain and slid as slurry, marking Britain’s worst mining disaster. Ms. Morgan wants the tip removed, stating that authorities don’t want to pay, and she fears they’ll wait until people forget.
She checks the tip during heavy rain or noise and says it cost her everything to build her house. She stated the slip could have been worse. Ms. Morgan wants the tip dealt with and worries about other tips too.
Brian Preece has lived in Cwmtillery his whole life and played on coal tips as a child. They never seemed dangerous to him. He believes his street would be gone if a large tip fell and thinks tips must be lowered.
He says promises were made, but nothing happens, and people worry. He believes dropping the tips is safest, and life is priceless. He wants the tips taken down. Sky News contacted Blaenau Gwent Council.
Rachel Reeves announced money for coal tip maintenance to keep communities safe. The Welsh government plans a Disused Tips Authority to handle coal tip safety. Campaigners say the money is not enough.
Stuart Adams walks the tips at Bedwas and Cilfynydd and is with Clear South Wales’s Coal Tips. The group wants safer tips, and he says slips disrupt people’s lives. He questions if the money is adequate.
Mr. Adams said a Cilfynydd tip collapsed in 1939, fortunately with no one hurt. He thinks it could happen again, as nothing has changed with the tips.
Since 2021, the Welsh government invested in coal tip safety, aiming to keep communities safe. They passed a law to prevent dangerous tips. High-risk tips are inspected regularly, and they work with partners during bad weather.
The Mining Remediation Authority provides support and inspects tips for the Welsh government. They also manage 26 tips in Wales and offer management services to other landowners.