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Drink-driver handed hefty fine after failing to stop

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A DRIVER who failed to stop after he collided with a car in front of him has been given a hefty fine by Magistrates this week.

Andrew Smith, aged 36, of Hunwick Walk, Stockon-On-Tees, appeared before the Courts in Haverfordwest on Tuesday (Aug 7), and pleaded guilty to one charge of failing to stop and another of failing to provide a specimen.

Prosecuting, Mr Vaughan Pritchard-Jones told the Court: “The defendant was driving his white van up Bush Hill and the complainant was stationary, waiting at the lights but the defendant has driven into the back of him.

“Police received a call saying they had been driven into and that the car had driven off. The police arrived and the complainant said they had gone in the direction of Pennar. The police drove in that direction and saw the van not far away.

“They spoke to the defendant at the scene and he provided a roadside sample of 97. He was taken to the police station but officers noted that Smith was very flippant with them at the time and that he wasn’t taking the procedure seriously.

“He was asked if he had had anything to eat or drink and his reply was ‘yes, you gave me a burger and a pint of lager. He gave four samples but there was an insufficient flow for an evidential reading. The readings he did give ranged from 71-86 so he was somewhere in excess of twice the limit.”

Defending, Mike Kelleher added: “Smith made a misjudgement on this occasion, he thought the car in front was going to pull away but that didn’t happen and there was a collision.”

Smith panicked and drove off but the father of the complainant got out and walked to where Smith had parked up and told him to stay in the vehicle.

“That is where police found him, around half a mile away. This was a works van and he has been forced to resign from his job as a result of this but he has found another job in Bristol.

“As for the second charge of failing to provide, he is at a loss as to why he was able to do at the roadside but failed to do so at the police station. The readings taken had a range of 71-86.”

Magistrates told Smith that his behaviour at the police station was unacceptable as they were just doing their job stating: “Police don’t deserve to be treated like that.”

Smith was banned from driving for a period of 12 months and was also fined £266. He was also fined the same amount for failing to stop.

His license was also endorsed and he was ordered to pay £85 in court costs and a £30 victim surcharge.
Smith was also offered the drink-drive awareness course which could reduce his ban if completed successfully.

Business

Stephen Crabb leads inquiry on retaining community bank services  

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PRESELI Pembrokeshire MP, and Chair of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee Stephen Crabb is leading an inquiry in Parliament that will investigate the closure of high street banks in Wales, as well as access to cash.

In November 2023, Pembrokeshire saw the closure of Lloyds Bank in St Davids, and in the coming months both Barclays Bank and Halifax in Haverfordwest are set to close. In recent years, Wales has experienced a rapid decline in the number of high street banking services available to the public. Already in 2024, 23 high street bank closures have been announced in Wales, while automated teller machines (ATMs) declined by nearly a quarter between 2018 and 2023.

The Committee willconsider how declining high street banking services are impacting vulnerable people and small businesses across Wales, who are often more reliant on cash than digital banking. It will also examine how Wales is being affected by the loss of high street bank services, and whether the problem is worse in Wales than other parts of the UK.

Mr Crabb is a staunch advocate for retaining community banking facilities, especially in rural communities like Pembrokeshire where many local branches remain the only source of face-to-face banking provision for miles.

Recently Mr Crabb challenged Barclays Bank senior management on their decision to close the bank branch in Haverfordwest– a move that will see Barclays not only pull out of the county town, but means they won’t have a branch left anywhere in Pembrokeshire. He has also engaged with LINK – the UK’s largest cash machine network – and continues to campaign on the basis that a Banking Hub is established and that ATM machines should be retained or installed, especially in areas worst affected by the closures.  

Following the launch of the inquiry, MP Crabb added: “It is really sad to see so many banks across Wales closing as online banking grows in popularity. Despite the advantages of online banking, for a rural community with an ageing population like Pembrokeshire, bank branches hold huge importance as they offer face-to-face customer service.”

“I am acutely aware of the inconvenience that the bank closures locally have already caused following hundreds of replies from constituents to my ‘online banking survey’ ”

“I am looking forward to gathering further evidence on this subject through the committee’s inquiry, and will continue to put pressure on the relevant stakeholders to ensure that adequate alternative provisions are made through the establishment of banking hubs as well as the instalment of ATM machines where necessary.”

“In this inquiry, we are particularly keen to hear from those likely to be directly affected by the shift away from cash and physical banks. I encourage anyone with first-hand experience of losing banking services to give evidence to the Committee”

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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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News

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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