News
Severn Bridge tolls to be axed by Christmas

FOLLOWING up the commitment made by the Prime Minister Theresa May, Secretary of State for Wales Alun Cairns has confirmed that all tolls will be scrapped with free flow traffic on the Prince of Wales bridge and the original Severn Crossing between Wales and England ahead of schedule on December 17, 2018.
After 50 years of tolls of up to £20 per vehicle, Theresa May’s Conservatives chose to scrap tolls for the 25m vehicles per year using the crossings that support the key route between South Wales and the West of England.
The Secretary of State for Wales confirmed that, ahead of the great festive getaway, tolls will be abolished completely and permanently to make way for a new economic powerhouse between South Wales and the West of England.
The decision will, for the first time, combine the economic might of a growing Welsh economy and the West of England to further spread prosperity across the United Kingdom.
Regular commuters will enjoy free flow journeys and save over £1,400 per year in toll charges from mid-December – transforming the economic opportunities on both sides of the Severn. It is estimated that scrapping tolls will provide an immediate benefit of over £100m per year for Wales, over a billion pounds of economic benefit to Wales over the next decade.
Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns, said: “My number one aim when I became Secretary of State for Wales, was to do away with tolling that for half a century has restricted and distorted the growth and connections of the Welsh economy. Wales will be more open for business than ever after the Conservatives deliver on this commitment. Scrapping tolls before the festive period is an early Christmas present for hard-working commuters who will be £1,400 per year better off.
“This is just the start of my plan to pursue yet more growth for a stronger and a better-connected Wales. Scrapping the Severn tolls is an example of the Conservatives ensuring that all four nations of the UK thrive after Brexit, in doing so, transforming the joint economic prospects of South Wales and the West of England.
“This direct intervention will guarantee that links are strengthened and enhanced between the natural economic areas of South Wales and the West of England.”
Prime Minister, Theresa May, said: “By abolishing tolls for 25million annual journeys between two nations, the Conservatives are sending a positive, open-for-business message. Toll-free, free flow journeys between both communities will drive further economic benefits to all areas surrounding the crossings and the key economic centres in Cardiff, Bath, Bristol, Newport and across to Swansea and West Wales.
“By removing a major added cost of doing business between Wales and England, the Conservatives continue to deliver on improving the economic prospects of working people. With this major step, we are encouraging a close bond between two nations as part of the United Kingdom, whilst driving economic growth right across the country.”
Community
Native oyster success story on the Milford Haven Waterway

AFTER more than a year of careful rearing, thousands of juvenile native oysters have now been returned to the Milford Haven Waterway, marking a major milestone in an ambitious restoration project involving the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.
Since the project began in late 2023, Bangor University’s School of Ocean Sciences has been nurturing native oyster broodstock collected from Angle Bay and Burton Ferry. These oysters spawned multiple times in controlled conditions, producing hundreds of thousands of larvae. The tiny larvae were then reared until they were ready to settle on to shells, where they mostly remain fixed as they grow. Some scallop shells held as many as 160 individual oyster spat, ranging from 4mm to 10mm in size.
In February, an estimated 200,000 baby oysters were released into the Waterway by students from Paddle West. Braving a strong easterly wind, the team (assisted by Sky the dog, and with rescue cover support from Rudders Boatyard) successfully deposited the oysters onto the seabed. While not all will survive, many are expected to take hold and contribute to the recovery of the native oyster population.
Once abundant in UK waters, native oyster populations have dramatically declined due to habitat loss, pollution, over-harvesting and disease
Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority Biodiversity Officer, Sarah Mellor, said “This collaborative project is a major step forward for native oyster restoration in Wales. Achieving complex native oyster reefs once again in the Daugleddau may seem a distant dream, but this project has accelerated our learning and made the dream tangible. These oysters will play a vital role in improving water quality, storing carbon and creating habitat for marine life.”
To further support the restoration effort, some of the oyster-covered scallop shells have been placed into oyster hotels at Rudders Boatyard, where they will be closely monitored. Atlantic Edge Oysters will also oversee a selection of the young oysters to assess their growth rates.
The oysters will be tracked as part of the Natur am Byth! Mòr restoration project, delivered by the Marine Conservation Society with assistance from Sue Burton, the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Officer.
Sue said,“Native oyster restoration needs oyster suppliers and growers, and this project has proved that we can deliver this in Wales with our home-grown native oysters and expertise.”
The project is being delivered in partnership with Bangor University, the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC Officer and Tethys Oysters in Angle Bay. It forms part of the Blue Carbon Strand of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s Wild Coast! Sustainable Landscapes, Sustainable Places Programme, funded by the Welsh Government and co-ordinated by Tirweddau Cymru Landscapes Wales.
The restored oysters will now be closely monitored to assess their survival and growth, helping to inform future restoration efforts and strengthen the long-term recovery of the species in the Milford Haven Waterway.
News
Oriel y Parc opens its doors to a world of peace and tranquillity

An exhibition featuring the work of two leading artists and illustrators is to open at the National Park Discovery Centre in St Davids.
Featuring the work of Jackie Morris and Elly Morgan, ‘Tangnefedd Rhyngom: Peace Between Us’ invites visitors to explore the theme of peace, creating an opportunity for people to pause, reflect and connect with the quiet beauty of the world around them.
The exhibition brings together two distinct approaches to peace. Jackie Morris – illustrator, artists and writer best known for The Lost Words and The Lost Spells – presents a series of prints depicting painted doves, using her signature style to convey peace as a dynamic force. In contrast, Elly Morgan, known for her intricate ceramic work, offers a tactile interpretation of peace through her ceramic doves which draw inspiration from Pembrokeshire’s natural landscapes.

On World Poetry Day (March 22), Jackie Morris will host a talk and a question and an answer session which will provide a deeper insight into the exhibition as well as themes that inspire her work. The free event will take lace between 2 pm and 3 pm.
Meanwhile Elly Morgan will lead a family-friendly workshop from 11 am to 3 pm on Sunday, March 23. The drop-in invites participants of all ages to contribute to a collaborative installation using recycled materials and acrylic paints.
The exhibition will be on display at Oriel y Parc until Sunday, April 27.
Crime
Haverfordwest woman jailed for assault occasioning actual bodily harm

A HAVERFORDWEST woman has been jailed for assaulting another woman, with magistrates ruling that only a custodial sentence was justified.
Sarah Moane, 34, of Three Meadows, Haverfordwest, appeared before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Mar 13), where she was sentenced to 18 weeks in prison for assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
The court heard that on December 27, 2024, Moane assaulted Kayleigh Summers, causing her injuries. She was found guilty of the offence on March 13, 2025.
Moane was already serving a 10-week custodial sentence, imposed by Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on August 6, 2024. The latest sentence is to run consecutively, with the court citing the seriousness of the offence and the fact that it was committed while Moane was subject to a suspended sentence. The offence was further aggravated by intoxication and domestic violence.
She was also ordered to pay £650 in costs to the Crown Prosecution Service.
Restraining order imposed
A restraining order was issued against Moane, preventing her from:
- Contacting Kayleigh Summers by any means, directly or indirectly.
- Entering any premises occupied by Summers as her usual place of residence.
- Posting or causing to be posted any references to Summers on social media or any other electronic platform.
The order remains in place until March 12, 2026.
The court noted that no compensation was awarded due to the provoked nature of the attack.
Presiding over the case were Magistrates Ms V Knapp, Miss L Gunter, and Mr N Samuel, with Ann Griffiths prosecuting.
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