Railway bridge vandalised ahead of planned mural

Twm Owen, Local Democracy Reporter

Vandals have scrawled graffiti style tags over a railway bridge that had just been given a fresh undercoat in preparation for an authorised mural.

The metal panels on the bridge at the Highway, which overlooks the railway line from Newport to the nearby Pontypool New Inn railway station, had been given the new white undercoat in advance of the mural being painted. 

Caerphilly-based street artist Paul Shepherd, who is known as Walls By Paul, is due to paint the mural on the side of the railway bridge. He said:

“It’s just a bit disappointing someone has come along and graffitied it. I hope they don’t do this when the mural is completed.” 

New Inn councillor Nick Byrne said he was disappointed to find shortly after the preparation works had been completed a large outline of letters, reading ‘Pooly’ had been spray painted on the bridge panelling while a tag style design of the same name had been left on a side panelling with another tag ‘Hillard’. 

Cllr Byrne said: “It is sad to see after all the work has been done to get it ready for Walls By Paul who will be doing a mural with things relevant to New Inn.”

“The bridge had an undercoat for a mural and it has now been graffitied over.” 

Cllr Byrne said he had sent the photos of the unauthorised tagging to Gwent Police, though the force said local councils are responsible for graffiti. 

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