Community

‘Anger and fear’ over delayed flood warnings

Published

27 seconds ago

November 27, 2024

SENEDD Members warned Wales failed to learn lessons from devastating floods in 2020, with serious shortcomings repeated as Storm Bert wrought havoc over the weekend.

Delyth Jewell, Plaid Cymru’s shadow climate change secretary, told the Senedd that hundreds of homes were again hit by flooding, leaving communities in crisis.

She said: “Alongside feelings of anger and fear, there is one of disbelief and horror that this could happen again because so many of the streets and houses affected by this flood were devastated by Storm Dennis just four years ago.

“We were assured then that lessons would be learned but here we are hearing the same accounts of delayed flood warnings, inadequate preparation and preventable damage.”

Ms Jewell, who represents South Wales East, raised concerns about some people receiving flood warnings after water was already in their homes.

“Something surely has gone seriously wrong,” she said. “Flood defences and warning systems clearly didn’t work well enough.”

The Plaid Cymru group’s deputy leader suggested the coaltip slipping in Cwmtillery, Blaenau Gwent, should send shockwaves to Westminster about the funding needed to address risks.

She said: “We no longer have the luxury of waiting for Westminster to find its conscience with these tips, our communities cannot stand another near miss.”

Ms Jewell compared the £25m announced for coaltip safety in last month’s UK budget with the estimated £20m cost of clearing one tip alone at Tylorstown, Rhondda Cynon Taf.

Janet Finch-Saunders, the Conservatives’ shadow climate change secretary, said 80% of the rain normally expected for the whole of November fell in only 48 hours.

Ms Finch-Saunders reiterated her party’s calls for a dedicated flood agency and a comprehensive, independent review of flood management policies in Wales.

The Aberconwy Senedd member warned existing council-led reviews take months to come to fruition as she pointed to “concerning” parallels with Storm Dennis.

Joel James, a fellow Tory, said: “It is now clear the response from the Welsh Government after Storm Dennis was indeed inadequate and there’s been very little learnt.”

Labour’s Mick Antoniw said flooding had a devastating impact in his Pontypridd constituency as he welcomed emergency funding for households and called for support for businesses.

And Plaid Cymru’s Heledd Fychan, who represents South Wales Central, urged ministers to provide funding for floodgates, insurance for businesses, and a national flood forum.

In a statement on November 26, Huw Irranca-Davies told the Senedd that Storm Bert shows the reality of what more frequent extreme weather will mean for communities.

Wales’ climate change secretary said the intensity exceeded Storm Dennis, with the River Taff in the centre of Pontypridd rising by 30cm every 15 minutes at the height of the deluge.

He said at least 433 properties were flooded, including 125 in RCT, 90 in Merthyr Tydfil, 50 in Monmouth, 50 in Caerphilly and 15 in Torfaen, with details of the impact still emerging.

Mr Irranca-Davies argued the Welsh Government learned significantly in the aftermath of Storm Dennis and made a myriad of investments.

Sympathising with families affected by the “frightening” landslip in Cwmtillery, he raised “crucial” forthcoming legislation aimed at ensuring the safety of disused tips.

He urged Senedd Members to encourage constituents affected by flooding and facing a financial crisis to seek help from the Welsh Government’s discretionary assistance fund.

Mr Irranca-Davies confirmed grants of between £500 to £1,000 will be available for people affected depending on whether households are insured.

Dŵr Cymru customers affected by water problems in RCT will be offered £150, he said, with businesses getting £300 and up to £2,500 for loss of goods or profits beyond this.

Mr Irranca-Davies stated the Welsh Government has invested nearly £300m in flood risk management since 2021, benefiting more than 14,000 properties.

He said: “I recognise this is going to be of little comfort to people whose homes and businesses were impacted over this weekend.

“But that impact is exactly why this investment continues to be so important.”

Community

Newport Sands beach car park project set to be approved

Published

13 hours ago

November 27, 2024

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PEMBROKESHIRE national park scheme to redevelop Newport Sands’ car park, with extra parking spaces, beach access ramps, and new public conveniences is expected to be approved next week by the authority’s planning committee.

In an application recommended for approval at Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee meeting of December 4, land owner the national park seeks permission for the demolition and replacement of the existing public convenience block, the creation of an access ramp and steps to south slipway, the erection of a beach wheelchair storage building, and works to the existing car park, including new pay and display machines, at Newport Sands PCNP Car Park, Golf Course Road.

The works include an extra 52 car parking spaces over the 43 currently there, along with an increase in disabled parking spaces.

Newport Sands/Traeth Mawr became car-free last May; the Authority ended parking on the Newport Sands beach after purchasing the land, in response to growing safety concerns.

It said the beach would be a ‘car-free’ zone, with exceptions only allowed for emergency services and essential car users such as the RNLI and coastguards.

A petition was later launched demanding a backtrack, saying an outright ban will have an adverse effect on a wide cross-section of beach users, including disabled visitors.

Last July, members of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s authority agreed to keep the car-free resolution, along with “actively pursuing options of how to improve access for people living with disability”.

Between October and November of last year, the Park also ran an online public consultation regarding the future of Traeth Mawr, with 107 responses received, members of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s authority heard back in March, when proposals for the changes outlined in the application were discussed, with anticipated costs associated for the project in the region of £330-£350,000.

A report for committee members ahead of the December meeting says: “The proposal will result in improved and enhanced services for visitors to the Newport Sands car park by providing better beach access, clearly laid out parking bays and pedestrian zones, improved public convenience facilities, and landscaping enhancements across the site. The provision of a changing places facility, beach wheelchair storage and new access ramp are likely to assist in enhancing access for wheelchair users to this site.

“Overall, officers consider that the proposals are acceptable and that the scheme as a whole protects the special qualities of the National Park whilst delivering appropriate enhancements to this important community facility.”

Responding to concerns about a limited mobile signal making it difficult to pay for parking by phone ‘apps’ it is proposed to offer contactless card payment.

The report concludes: “The proposal will result in improved and enhanced services for visitors to the popular Newport Sands car park by providing better beach access, clearly laid out parking bays and pedestrian zones, improved public convenience facilities, and landscaping enhancements across the site. Therefore, the proposed scheme is considered to be acceptable in terms of scale, form, use and design.”

Community

Step into a magical festive adventure at Oriel y Parc

Published

1 day ago

November 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

FAMILIES are invited to embark on a magical journey this winter with the launch of the Winter Festive Nature Trail, opening Saturday 23 November at Oriel y Parc, National Park Discovery Centre, St Davids. Perfect for explorers of all ages, this enchanting trail combines nature, fun and festive cheer in an outdoor adventure.

Visitors will uncover seven glowing animals, each hidden within a unique habitat. Armed with a special magic torch, participants will reveal and collect glowing animals as they follow the trail. Once completed, families can return to the desk to reunite the animals with their festive homes and claim a Nature Adventurer’s treat.

This engaging event runs daily from 9.30am-3.30pm until Friday 20 December. Entry is £4 per child, making it an affordable and memorable activity for families.

Adding to the festive magic, Oriel y Parc welcomes the return of its North Pole Post Box. Children can write letters to Santa, sharing their festive wishes, and drop them into the special post box. After three days, families can return to pick up a personalised reply from Santa along with a surprise from the elves’ workshop. The Free Post Office will operate from Saturday 23 November – Thursday 19 December, spreading holiday cheer to visitors of all ages.

The festivities continue with the highly anticipated Christmas Market on Saturday 7 December from 10am to 3pm. This market is a perfect opportunity to embrace the holiday spirit while browsing an array of local craft and food stalls. Live music performances by the Solva Ukulele Pirates and the Barn Howlers will create a lively atmosphere throughout the day.

Visitors will find a wide selection of unique handmade gifts and treasures from talented local makers and producers, perfect for Christmas shopping. Seasonal food will be available from the new team at The Brunch House, offering warming and delicious dishes to enjoy during the event. With free entry and parking, the market is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the season and support local artisans.

Oriel y Parc is delighted to welcome visitors to these special seasonal events, offering something for everyone to enjoy. From magical trails to festive shopping and Santa’s special deliveries, the holiday season at Oriel y Parc promises to be unforgettable.

For more details on Christmas events and The Brunch House opening hours throughout November and December, visit www.orielyparc.co.uk.

Community

Pembrokeshire trains set for major timetable changes

Published

1 day ago

November 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

RAIL passengers in Pembrokeshire are being urged to plan ahead as the ‘most significant mainline timetable change in a generation’ is set to take effect in December. The changes promise increased services, better train spacing, and improved connectivity for the county’s rail users.

The new timetable, which comes into force on Sunday, December 15, will see adjustments across south Wales, made possible by the introduction of the state-of-the-art Class 197 train fleet. Transport for Wales (TfW) says these changes will result in additional services, later departures from Cardiff Central and Swansea, and more consistent scheduling with trains leaving at the same time past each hour.

Pembrokeshire passengers will see several significant improvements:

Milford Haven: Two extra services will run from the station.
Fishguard Harbour: The timetable will eliminate a six-hour midday gap, with more evenly spaced services to and from the station.

TfW’s journey planner indicates new service times:

Outbound from Fishguard: A new service at 4:04pm will bridge the current gap between 12:53pm and 7:32pm.
Inbound to Fishguard: A train arriving at 3:24pm will now fill the gap between 12:22pm and 6:57pm.
Milford Haven: An additional three trains will run to Carmarthen after December 15.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, highlighted the impact of the changes:
“This is a major change which will make a real difference to customers, who will benefit from a more consistent service. This has been made possible by our £800m investment in new trains, and it’s great to see the results coming through across Wales.”

Colin Lea, TfW’s Planning and Performance Director, emphasized the scale of the changes:
“This is the most significant timetable change in a generation for mainline services. We’ve been working towards this timetable for four years, and the consistency it will deliver will be a massive improvement for many customers.”

TfW also revealed plans for further improvements over the next 18 months, including updates to the North Wales Coast and Cambrian lines, with newer trains and expanded capacity.

Passengers are advised to check the updated timetable in advance. For details on how your journey will be affected, visit TfW’s journey planner at tfw.wales/plan-a-journey.

The Herald understands that these changes are designed to make rail travel more convenient and accessible for all users.