Coal tips in Wales
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a2/Spoil_Tips_Above_Blaenavon_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2872402.jpg/250px-Spoil_Tips_Above_Blaenavon_-_geograph.org.uk_-_2872402.jpg)
There are just over 2,500 coal
Funding over ensuring the safety of the coal tips have become a dispute between the UK and Welsh Governments as coal tip safety are devolved to Wales. The UK Government states no additional funding would be provided on a devolved matter. However, Welsh politicians argue coal tips pre-date devolution and therefore the UK Government should contribute. It is estimated to cost between £500 million and £600 million over 10–15 years to fully address the issue.
Background and history
Wales has numerous coal tips, as a legacy of its
Risk of collapse
On 16 February 2020, following
The first round of inspections of coal tips by the Authority was completed in July 2020.[10]
In October 2020, the UK Government provided £2.5 million to clean up the Tylorstown site, which involved the cleaning up of 60,000 tonnes (130,000,000 lb) of collapsed soil, which started in June 2020.[12][13]
In November 2020, it was reported that securing 2,000 old coal tips in Wales, would potentially cost between £500 million and £600 million over the next 10–15 years.[12][14] With repairs in Rhondda Cynon Taf only, estimated to be £82.5 million.[13]
In December 2020, another landslip of the coal tip in Wattstown, Rhondda Cynon Taf occurred, although there was no properties near the tip.[15]
In 2021, the Welsh Government announced it is to review the legislation on coal tip inspection and maintenance, with the Law Commission.[9][10] By October 2021, slips had occurred near Clydach Vale, Mountain Ash, Clydach and Pontygwaith.[7]
In May 2022, the Welsh Government published a White paper on coal safety.[9] The government also recommended the establishment of a "new supervisory body" to oversee coal tip safety in Wales.[16]
In 2023, the Welsh Government released an interactive map of the 350 disused coal tips that are required to have more frequent inspections.[6] The government also contacted 1,500 landowners and almost 600 property occupiers in Wales, informing them that there is an entire or part of a coal tip on their land. The government allocated an additional £44.4 million to local authorities to continue the maintenance and inspection of public and privately owned coal tips.[17]
A "Disused Tips Bill" is expected to be introduced to the Senedd by 2024.[17]
List of coal tips
By July 2020, 2144 coal tips were identified in Wales, mostly in the
By 2020, the Coal Authority has 24 coal tips in Wales under its management. While NRW has 112, of which one in Treherbert was classed as "high risk" at the time, and was co-monitored with the Authority.[11]
In 2021, the 2,456 sites were categorised A–D, with those in C and D classed as "higher risk", therefore a potential to cause a risk to safety, although not an imminent or immediate threat.[7][9]
The full categorisation is as follows:[9]
- Category R tip – Very unlikely potential to impact public safety. Potential for removal or levelling of tip to be built over.
- Category A tip – Very unlikely potential to impact public safety.
- Category B tip – Unlikely potential to impact public safety.
- Category C tip – Potential to impact public safety. Annual inspection.
- Category D tip – Potential to impact public safety. Bi-annual inspection.
The Coal Authority has been given the responsibility to perform inspections.[9]
The data below is as of 14 November 2023, recording a total 2,566 tips. There are no recorded disused coal tips in Ceredigion, Conwy, Denbighshire, Gwynedd, Newport and the Vale of Glamorgan.[9]
By principal area
Principal area | Coal tip sites | Category | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
R* | A | B | C | D | ||
Blaenau Gwent | 128 | 9 | 63 | 38 | 13 | 5 |
Bridgend | 179 | 6 | 94 | 37 | 36 | 6 |
Caerphilly | 206 | 8 | 81 | 66 | 44 | 7 |
Cardiff | 24 | — | 8 | 14 | 1 | 1 |
Carmarthenshire | 170 | 53 | 58 | 58 | 1 | — |
Ceredigion | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Conwy | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Denbighshire | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Flintshire | 65 | 6 | 40 | 19 | — | — |
Gwynedd | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Isle of Anglesey | 10 | — | 7 | 3 | — | — |
Merthyr Tydfil | 122 | 1 | 31 | 31 | 44 | 15 |
Monmouthshire | 27 | — | 8 | 7 | 10 | 2 |
Neath Port Talbot | 617 | 30 | 385 | 161 | 28 | 13 |
Newport | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Pembrokeshire | 61 | — | 54 | 6 | 1 | — |
Powys | 30 | 3 | 6 | 20 | 1 | 0 |
Rhondda Cynon Taf | 327 | 48 | 93 | 107 | 50 | 29 |
Swansea | 209 | 42 | 125 | 37 | 5 | — |
Torfaen | 175 | 10 | 49 | 81 | 30 | 5 |
Vale of Glamorgan | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Wrexham | 216 | 85 | 107 | 21 | 3 | — |
Total | 2566 | 301 | 1209 | 706 | 267 | 83 |
By management body
Coal Authority
In January 2020, the Coal Authority released a list of all the 39 coal tips they manage in Great Britain, with 24 being in Wales, 10 in England and 5 in Scotland. Those in Wales are listed below:[20]
Management
Coal tip safety is
References
- ^ ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ a b c "Wales says climate change could increase risk of landslides from disused coal tips as it marks Aberfan anniversary". Sky News. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ a b "What's being done about coal tip safety and how will the work be funded?". research.senedd.wales. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ "Aberfan". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ "The Aberfan disaster, 1966". British Geological Survey. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ a b "Coal tips in Wales: New maps reveal 350 sites most at risk". BBC News. 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ a b c d e Gupwell, Katie-Ann (2021-10-26). "Wales' most dangerous coal tips - broken down by council area". Wales Online. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i "Coal tip safety | GOV.WALES". www.gov.wales. 2023-11-14. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ a b c d Reporter, Anthony Lewis-Local Democracy (2021-02-12). "Welsh Government reviewing laws around inspection and maintenance of coal tips". Wales News Online. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ a b Mosalski, Ruth (2020-03-14). "The instability hidden in our hillsides - how safe are Wales' coal tips". Wales Online. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ a b c "Coal tip securing 'could cost more than £500m' in Wales". BBC News. 2020-11-06. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ a b "Tylorstown: UK government to pay £2.5m for coal-tip work". BBC News. 2020-10-08. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ a b Weatherby, Bronwen (2021-10-26). "UK Government urged to help secure Wales's coal tips to avoid future disasters". Evening Standard. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ "Landslip warning and flooding follow heavy rain in Wales". BBC News. 2020-12-19. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ Williams, Rhys (2022-05-12). "New body to oversee coal tip safety recommended". Caerphilly Observer. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ a b Mansfield, Mark (2023-11-14). "Interactive map of Wales's disused coal tips published". Nation.Cymru. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ Mosalski, Ruth (2021-10-11). "Welsh Government refuses to list Wales' most dangerous coal tips". Wales Online. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ Horgan, Rob (2021-10-27). "327 Welsh coal tips deemed to be high safety risk". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ "Disused colliery tips managed by the Coal Authority - including location and inspection frequency". GOV.UK. Retrieved 2023-11-28.
- ^ Mosalski, Ruth (2021-09-28). "UK Government refuses to give Wales £600m to make coal tips safe". Wales Online. Retrieved 2023-11-29.
- ^ "Flooding: Governments in 'dialogue' on Storm Dennis repairs funding". BBC News. 2020-10-06. Retrieved 2023-11-28.