Town joins alley gate scheme to help keep the burglars out

Jan 31 2008 by Peter Collins, The Post

Town joins alley gate scheme to help keep the burglars out

GATES are being fitted to alleys in a Vale of Glamorgan town as part of a successful crime-busting scheme.

The alley gates scheme has already seen hundreds of back lanes sealed off in the Vale of Glamorgan so that only key-holding residents can gain access.

The aim is to stop petty criminals, vandals, drunks and drug users using lanes for their activities.

Vale of Glamorgan councillors have now approved a scheme which will see gates installed in the St Augustine’s ward of Penarth.

The gates will be installed in the Penarth Central Renewal Area where there have been problems with public disorder, burglaries, fly-tipping and graffiti.

Councillors have also approved the ninth phase of the scheme in Barry, which will see more gates erected in the Castleland and Illtyd wards of the town and in the High Street area.

So far, 3,200 houses in Barry are protected by alley gates.

Rob Quick, the Vale council’s director of environmental and economic regeneration, said: “These proposals are being introduced to ensure that as soon as funds are available, the gates can be installed. It is possible that funds may be available this financial year from South Wales Police.”

“There are considerable crime prevention benefits from the introduction of alley gates,” he added.

Statistics produced by the police show that in areas where alley gates have been built, house burglaries have been reduced by 73 per cent, car thefts by 73.8 per cent, thefts from vehicles by 43.8 per cent and burglaries from commercial premises by 60 per cent.

Mr Quick said: “These figures show remarkable reductions in crime and disorder. No other projects of this kind can achieve such dramatic reductions.”

He said the introduction of gates also led to a reduction in the fear of crime, a renewed a sense of ownership among residents in their communities, reduced arson attacks and it took away escape routes for thieves.

Vale councillor Anthony Ernest, who lives in Penarth, said: “I welcome this move to install alley gates into the Penarth Commercial Renewal Area.

“It is an excellent scheme which give residents ownership of their lanes. They are the best people to look after them and ensure that nobody gains access for dumping or breaking into houses.

“Penarth has been waiting for this for about 18 months and I hope it will be extended to other parts of the town.”