Residents issue plea to drivers using street as rat run

Ted Peskett Local Democracy Reporter

A group of residents have issued a plea to drivers who are using their city street as a rat run after a number of cars there were damaged.

Residents living in Moorland Road in Splott, Cardiff said their road has become increasingly congested in recent months with some saying their cars were hit several times and that incidents of road rage have gone up.

Ward councillors for the area said one car ended upturned in the street.

They are also calling on drivers to use alternative routes to Moorland Road during peak hours.

Complaints

“My car has been hit on several occasions over the last year,” said Moorland Road resident Dave Jones.

“The front wing has been hit by a red car that damaged the headlamp as well. The back wing has been hit by a grey car.

“The wing mirror has been knocked off. I’ve been squeezed between a builders’ van and my car whilst waiting for it to pass.

“We have had cars pull up behind us after we parked outside the house sounding the horn for us to get out of the way.”

Another resident, who gave her name only as Emma, said she has had a number of wing mirrors taken off while a car has been written off and her new car has been scratched.

She said there were weekly incidents of road rage outside her house including shouting, people beeping horns, blocking the road, and cases where drivers got out of their cars and started being abusive to each other.

Emma added: “The shouting and threatening language between drivers outside our house happens so often the children have become desensitised and don’t really notice it anymore – it’s just a normal part of their experience.

“[It is] pretty sad.”

Solutions

Local councillors said they recently met with residents to talk about the issue and potential solutions.

In a joint statement Cllr Ed Stubbs, Cllr Jane Henshaw, and Cllr Huw Thomas said: “Moorland Road is full of amazing people who are welcoming and friendly but the traffic situation is a real source of frustration. Cars being damaged and one even ending upturned.

“Whilst the council must look at longer-term solutions to address these issues for good in the meantime we are calling on commuters not to use Splott as a rat-run.

These are Victorian terraced streets and weren’t designed to be a main route across the city.”