Community

Pembrokeshire residents face deadline for 20mph speed limit exemptions

Published

4 months ago

October 8, 2024

TIME is running out for residents in Pembrokeshire to request changes to the controversial 20mph speed limit introduced last year across Wales. Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed that the window for submitting proposals to amend local speed limits will close on 21st October 2024.

Residents who wish to argue that a particular road should be exempted from the default 20mph limit must submit their suggestions, along with valid reasons, to the council by this date. Each request will be reviewed against the Welsh Government’s new exceptions guidance, which offers criteria for evaluating potential changes to the speed limits.

The Council has made it clear that for any feedback to be considered, the first line of the sender’s address and their postcode must be included. This ensures that requests are made by individuals residing within the affected area, giving officers a clearer understanding of local concerns.

All suggestions should be sent to [email protected]. Requests received after the 21st October deadline will not be included in the ongoing review process.

The introduction of the 20mph limit has sparked ongoing debate, with the latest figures revealing that enforcement remains a key issue. According to GoSafe, the organisation responsible for road safety enforcement in Wales, 13,500 drivers were caught speeding on 20mph roads across Wales in September alone.

The data shows that while the average speed at which motorists were penalised was 28mph, some drivers were significantly over the limit. The most extreme case saw a motorist recorded at a staggering 85mph in north Wales. This comes amid growing concerns about compliance with the new speed restrictions.

GoSafe reports that around 43% of those caught speeding are attending speed awareness courses, with nearly 25,000 vehicles monitored in September. Encouragingly, 95% of those vehicles were found to be travelling at or below 25mph, which means they avoided enforcement action.

Since the enforcement campaign began, over 52,000 drivers have been penalised for exceeding the 26mph threshold.

The impact of the 20mph speed limit on journey times has also been closely monitored. Transport for Wales’ recent analysis shows that journeys on 20mph roads are generally taking longer, with motorists facing an average increase of around two minutes. A total of 60 monitoring points along 15 key routes across the country were analysed between February and April this year.

The study revealed that average journey times increased at 55 out of the 60 points. However, most increases were modest, with more than half the routes experiencing delays of less than a minute. The most significant delay was recorded between Aberystwyth and Cardigan, where an extra three minutes was added to the evening peak journey time.

Despite these slight increases in travel times, the report highlighted a positive outcome — less variability in journey times. This means that while journeys might take a little longer, motorists can now more accurately predict how long their trip will take.

Responding to the news that another 13,500 drivers were caught speeding on 20mph roads in Wales last month, Natasha Asghar MS, Welsh Conservative Shadow Transport Minister, said: “There is clearly still a large amount of confusion amongst motorists judging by the average speed being recorded.

“Labour’s poorly implemented 20mph speed limit is damaging our economy and impacting people’s livelihoods.

“The Welsh people have soundly rejected the 20mph speed limit. The Welsh Conservatives would scrap this ridiculous policy which punishes people for trying to get from A to B.”

For Pembrokeshire residents, these changes reflect the broader national discussion around the 20mph speed limit. As the review period comes to a close, locals have just under two weeks left to make their voices heard on whether certain roads in their communities should be exempt from the new restrictions.

Community

Drop in sessions to help reshape Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service

Published

6 hours ago

January 24, 2025

Tom Sinclair

MID and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service (MAWWFRS) is pleased to announce the launch of a series of community drop-in sessions designed to gather feedback from residents and stakeholders. This initiative aims to identify issues and challenges that may impact the delivery of the Community Risk Management Plan 2040 (CRMP 2040).

The CRMP 2040 outlines the Service’s commitment to addressing risks, threats, and challenges faced by communities. These drop-in sessions provide an opportunity for residents to help shape the future of fire and rescue services in Mid and West Wales, ensuring safety and well-being remain a priority.

Shaping the future together

Deputy Chief Fire Officer Iwan Cray said: “We believe the best way to serve our communities is by involving them in the planning process. These drop-in sessions are an opportunity for us to listen, learn, and collaborate with the people we serve.”

The drop-in sessions, details of which are available on the MAWWFRS website, offer a platform for open dialogue. Residents can share their insights, concerns, and suggestions, contributing to the development of a modern Fire and Rescue Service tailored to their needs.

A data-driven approach

The CRMP 2040 adopts a data-driven approach, focusing on prevention, protection, and response to reduce emergencies’ impact and enhance public safety. By tailoring services to community needs, MAWWFRS is committed to building safer and more resilient communities.

Get involved

Community members are encouraged to attend these sessions and provide their feedback. To thank participants, MAWWFRS is offering a chance to win a £100 Amazon voucher. To enter, simply attend a session and complete the survey.

For more information about the plan or the upcoming drop-in sessions, visit the MAWWFRS website or contact the team at [email protected].

About MAWWFRS

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is dedicated to protecting and serving the communities of Mid and West Wales. Through prevention, protection, and response, the Service works tirelessly to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents and visitors.

Community

Landfill odour sparks calls for inquiry and legal action

Published

1 day ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

RESIDENTS near Withyhedge landfill in Haverfordwest are demanding a public inquiry and considering legal action after foul odours returned just weeks after the site reopened on 6 January.

The landfill, closed last May to address odour issues, was declared fit to reopen by operator RML, which claimed its improvements would protect nearby communities. However, Colin Barnett, of campaign group Stop the Stink, said: “People in Crundale, Haverfordwest, and Spittal are being subjected to horrendous smells again.”

Describing the site as a “stink bomb on steroids,” Barnett supported Conservative MS Paul Davies’ calls for a public inquiry. “We’ve been flanneled by NRW, public health, and Pembrokeshire council. It’s disgraceful,” he said, adding that delays in resolving the issue had left litigation as the only option.

RML, part of Dauson Environmental Group, is owned by businessman David Neal, who has previous convictions for environmental crimes in 2013 and 2017. Last year, another of Neal’s companies pleaded guilty to environmental offences.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) reported receiving 34 complaints since 6 January, with a rise in recent days coinciding with the end of a slurry-spreading ban. However, NRW stated no odours attributable to the landfill were detected and plans to inspect the site with Pembrokeshire council on 29 January.

First Minister Eluned Morgan said: “I’ll keep a very close eye on this, and if concerns persist, we’ll discuss further steps with NRW.”

RML and the Welsh Government declined to comment.

Community

Public transport users urged to ‘check before travelling’ due to storm

Published

1 day ago

January 23, 2025

Tom Sinclair

TRANSPORT FOR WALES and Network Rail are urging all customers to check before they travel on Friday morning and into the weekend with weather warnings in place across the country.

With Storm Eowyn set to hit Wales and winds reaching 90mph on Friday morning, customers should expect disruptions and are strongly urged to check before they travel.

There will be alterations to rail services, replacement road transport on certain routes and blanket speed restrictions at some locations, meaning journeys could take longer than usual.

Stand by buses are being planned at key locations around the network in preparation for travel disruption.

Across Wales and the Borders, Network Rail have positioned response teams to address any storm related problems to keep disruption to a minimum.

TfW Operations Director Sarah Higgins said: “It’s so important for our customers to plan ahead when looking to travel this Friday.

“While we’ve made a number of changes to our services based on detailed forecasts, storms can still be unpredictable.

“We’ve seen the impact storms can have, with damage to trains and infrastructure sometimes taking weeks or months to repair, so our cross-industry approach will hopefully limit that and keep our colleagues and customers safe. We apologise to customers for any disruption to their journeys as a result.”

Network Rail Wales & Borders Operations Director Rachel Heath added: “Our priority is always keeping safe everyone who travels and works on the railway.

“Unfortunately, there will be some delays and cancellations on Friday, as trains will not run on some lines and there will speed restrictions on other parts of the route.

“We are working closely with our train operator colleagues to ensure we can safely reopen affected lines as quickly as possible and urge passengers to check before they travel.”

Rail service changes:

No services to run on the Conwy Valley Line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
No services to run on the Heart of Wales line all day, with replacement road transport in place.
Speed restrictions at various locations around the network, meaning some journeys will take longer than usual. These include:

  50mph speed restrictions imposed from 0200 to 1500 Friday on the North Wales Coast – Bodorgan to Llandudno Junction.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Carmarthen to Kidwelly.
  50mph restrictions from 0200 to 1200 between Neath and Swansea.
  50mph restrictions from 0100 – 0800 between Newport and Llanwern.

Customers who have connecting tickets for the following operators who have suspended services due to the adverse weather conditions, we’ll honour tickets dated 24 January on either Thursday 23 January or up to and including Tuesday 28 January.