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Prevention is better than a cure

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prevention is better than a cureThe Pembrokeshire Herald spends a day with the Haverfordwest Neighbourhood Policing Team

IT IS VERY EASY to think of the police as an entity in place to fix crime when it happens. Sometimes it slips our minds that a major role of our police force is to prevent crime before it strikes. Designated police officers gather from every station, specifically targeting the prevention of crime and these officers work in the Neighbourhood Police Team.

Sgt Catrin Thomas is the head of a team of four other police constables, along with six police community support officers that make up Haverfordwest’s Neighbourhood force. This team of officers have the responsibility of actively approaching the public in Haverfordwest’s very large geographical area. The town is just the beginning.

Every police officer has a responsibility to protect the public in an emergency situation. If a 999 call comes in then the attention of the officer is immediately prioritised to the alert at hand. The Neighbourhood Policing Team is given a daily brief as to any concerns that the public might have. These concerns may be raised in a well-populated area, or they may be raised in a rural and isolated part of the Haverfordwest sector. All concerns are taken seriously and no report from the public is taken as a ‘waste of time’.

In order to begin to understand the effort of the team, I joined two officers in a visit to a well-established stable in Camrose, to engage with the proprietor.The officers were welcomed as friends due to their continued support of the establishment. PCSO Jude Parr is a keen equestrian herself and the genuine concern, also displayed by PC Simon Davies, is blatantly obvious from the moment they arrived at the premises. These officers were both approachable and genuine and demonstrated that a crime does not have to be committed to build a relationship with the people that often need them the most, when a police station may not be ‘just around the corner’.

There are rural organisations that the team help to maintain. These entities are often not even heard of by the general public. Most people have heard of Neighbourhood Watch but few could claim to know of organisations such as ‘Farm Watch’ and ‘Horse Watch’ that are in place to monitor theft and vandalism of rural enterprises and homes. This idea would not be so successful if it was not for the community officers that help to spread the information needed by the community.

The very presence of officers in rural areas has given individuals the confidence to raise concerns that otherwise would have remained unspoken.

Back in the centre of town, officers are patrolling the streets attempting to create the same approachability that the rural officers achieve. Every day police officers, such as Rachel Wall and Liam Woodford, step out into the public to affirm the goals of the team. To create an approachable and friendly presence that will always take the public seriously. Rachel and Liam (Liam in particular) may seem a little camera shy but they do what they are employed to do. They do it very well.

Whilst joining the two officers around the town of Haverfordwest, it is obvious that they have a wonderful rapport with the people. Rachel and Liam take the time to speak to the general public and the proprietors of local businesses to take action against any concerns that may be present. It is refreshing to see the genuine look on a member of the public’s face when they know that there is someone there to take them seriously.

Back at the station, Ben Thomas, a local volunteer, explained to me the confidence he has built over his short time with the police. Ben is new to the team but he is training to take on the paperwork that sometimes makes a practical job very difficult. He demonstrates very well the fact that all sorts of ingredients make a good product.

Sgt Catrin Thomas obviously cares a lot for her colleagues and for the public that the team stands for. Dyfed Powys area has the least crime of any area in Wales as Catrin explains. In maintaining a community based police force the public can continue to feel in the county that they live in. I must admit, after a day with this team, I certainly believe that to be true.

Do not be afraid to contact your local police force if you have a concern. All of the public will be taken seriously and you have a local team to back you up and help. Please call 101 from your telephone or stop an officer. After all, they are there to help and not to intimidate.

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Business

Trains resume between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock as works end

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TRAIN services resumed this morning (Thursday 28 March) after ten days of essential round-the-clock work to upgrade track and drainage between Carmarthen and Pembroke Dock.

The railway was closed from Monday 18 March to Wednesday 27 March to allow Network Rail teams to replace more than 200 metres of track and 300 tonnes of ballast (track stones) between Pembroke station and Pembroke Dock.

Work to improve the drainage between Narbeth and Kilgetty stations was also completed at the same time.

Nick Millington, Network Rail Wales and Borders route director, said: “This essential work in Pembrokeshire demonstrates our commitment to improving the reliability of the service we provide to passengers along our route.

“We know that replacing the track can be disruptive and very noisy, so I would like to thank the residents of Pembroke for their patience while our team carried out this crucial work.”

Colin Lea, Planning and Performance Director at Transport for Wales said: “We’re pleased that our colleagues in Network Rail have completed this essential work and that Transport for Wales rail services resumed today.

“We’d like to thank passengers for their patience while this work has progressed and look forward to welcoming passengers back in time for the Easter weekend.”

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Welsh Water has increased sewage discharges into waterways ‘by 40%’

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NEW figures released by the Environment Agency have shown that Dwr Cymru discharged sewage into waterways for a staggering 23,354 hours last year, a 40% increase on 2022. 

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are now calling for tougher action against sewage dumping in Welsh waterways.

The party has also called for a halt on bonuses for water company bosses whose firms have dumped sewage into waterways.

Conservative MPs have consistently voted against measures which would have helped to tackle the crisis.

The Leader of the Welsh Liberal Democrats Jane Dodds MS said: “It is a complete scandal that filthy sewage is being pumped into our nation’s rivers and waterways without consequence.

“It’s beggars’ belief that both the UK Conservative Government and the Welsh Labour government are allowing water firms to get away with this environmental vandalism.

“We as a party are calling for tougher action to stop sewage being dumped in local waterways. We have also called for a halt on bonuses for water company fat cats whose firms have pumped filth into our waterways.”

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New bus services announced by Pembrokeshire County Council

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A NUMBER of changes to local bus services will be introduced in the coming weeks as a result of a shake up to bus funding. 

From April 2024, the funding which has been provided directly to bus operators by the Welsh Government to keep services going in the wake of the Covid pandemic will cease. 

Additional funding will instead be provided to Local Authorities to support their local bus network.

In total, Pembrokeshire County Council and the Welsh Government will provide over £3million in support for bus services in Pembrokeshire during the coming year.

As part of this process, all Pembrokeshire’s local bus services have been re-tendered. 

A public consultation, receiving over 300 responses, helped to inform decisions about which services should be prioritised. 

Councillor Rhys Sinnett, Pembrokeshire County Council Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services said: “I am delighted to be able to report that we are able to maintain the whole of Pembrokeshire’s current local bus network in the coming year.

“We have also secured key improvements such as reinstating an hourly service on the 349 route between Haverfordwest and Tenby via Pembroke Dock, and the popular Strumble Shuttle and Puffin Shuttle coastal bus services during the summer.”

The changes will also see two key services, the 302 Haverfordwest to Milford Haven and 349 Haverfordwest to Tenby via Pembroke Dock, brought under Council oversight for the first time. 

This will give the Council greater oversight of service operations and fares.  Pembrokeshire residents will also benefit from a new fare structure on all First Cymru services, due to be introduced from 1 April 2024. 

This will use Tap On Tap Off to allow passengers to pay the cheapest fare depending on the number of journeys they make or distance travelled, and will cap the maximum adult fare at £3 single and £5.40 return. 

More information about these fares can be found on the First Cymru website

A number of additional service changes and improvements are being considered for introduction during the course of the coming year in response to feedback received from the public consultation.  

The following bus service changes have been confirmed:

From 23 March 2024:

  • The Celtic Coaster (403) on the St Davids peninsular will restart for the 2024 season on Saturday 23 March and will run until Sunday 29 September. This is an hourly service, increasing to half-hourly during the whitsun half term and school summer holidays. There will be no service departing Caerfai Road at 13.00 and 13.30.
  • The 351 (Tenby to Pendine via Amroth) will return to its summer timetable.

From 1 April 2024

  • An hourly service will return on the 349 (Haverfordwest to Tenby via Pembroke Dock) service (April to September only).
  • The 356 (Milford Haven to Monkton) service will no longer call at Waterston and Hazelbeach due to operational issues caused by the narrow lanes in this area. The Fflecsi service will still be available.
  • A Saturday service, between 07:30 and 18:30, will be reintroduced in the Fflecsi Mid Pembrokeshire zone (formerly known as Bwcabus). This zone covers the area between Letterston, Crymych, Clunderwen and Wiston.  Passengers can also travel from this zone to Fishguard and Haverfordwest. 
  • The 302 (Haverfordwest to Milford Haven) and 349 (Haverfordwest to Tenby via Pembroke Dock) services operated by First Cymru will come under Pembrokeshire County Council control, giving the Council greater oversight of service operations and fares.
  • The 322 (Haverfordwest to Carmarthen) and 381 (Haverfordwest to Tenby via Narberth) services will be run by First Cymru. The 322 timetable will remain the same. The 381 timetable will remain the same from Haverfordwest to Tenby but journeys from Tenby to Haverfordwest will depart slightly earlier (37 past the hour instead of 45).
  • The X22 and X61 services which provided journeys at the start and end of the day between Pembroke Dock and Kilgetty, and Pembroke Dock and Haverfordwest will be withdrawn.
  • The 410 (Fishguard Town) and T11 (Haverfordwest to Fishguard via St Davids) services will be operated on a commercial (T11 part commercial) basis by Richards Bros. An improved connection with the ferry at Fishguard Harbour will be provided at 12.30.

From 19 May 2024

  • The Tenby Coaster service between Tenby and Saundersfoot will return for the summer season.

From 25 May 2024

  • The 400 Puffin Shuttle and 404 Strumble Shuttle services will return to the coast between Marloes and St Davids, and St Davids and Fishguard. These services will operate 7 days a week until 29 September 2024.  The Fflecsi service is also available in this area throughout the year.
  • The 387/388 Coastal Cruiser service around the Angle Peninsula will also return to its summer timetable, operating 7 days a week until 29th September 2024.

Further information about all Pembrokeshire bus services can be found on the Council’s website.

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