Local Government

Councillors back call for more rail funding and reopening of line

Published

2 months ago

October 10, 2025

A CALL for more rail investment in west Wales, including the reopening of a line closed to passengers over sixty years ago, received unanimous backing from Carmarthenshire councillors.

They found common ground in a motion which claimed Wales wasn’t getting its rightful share of rail funding and expressed concerns that the south-east and north of the country were taking most of what was available.

It reiterated previous calls for a new station at Whitland, the reopening of the Amman Valley line, and stated that only the devolution of railways would enable Wales to get its fair share of funding via major schemes such as HS2.

The motion said the £445 million of rail investment pledged for Wales over ten years by Chancellor Rachel Reeves was a fraction of what it should receive via the England-only HS2 scheme.

‘Under-funded’

Cllr Alun Lenny, who submitted the motion with his Plaid Cymru cabinet colleague Cllr Glynog Davies, said rail was “desperately under-funded” in west Wales, with trains “too often cancelled” and Wales having the highest train cancellation rates in the UK.

Cllr Davies recalled Brynamman having two Amman Valley line stations in the past – one for the line to Llanelli, the other for the line to Swansea – before everything closed in 1964. Reopening the Amman Valley line, he said, would provide an alternative to driving along narrow village roads. “Our governments have to consider this seriously,” he said.

Labour councillor Kevin Madge said the Westminster Government was providing “record” capital funding and that more rail investment was happening. He said he had been campaigning for years about the Amman Valley line, but also cautioned that there wasn’t “a pot of gold”.

Independent councillor Sean Rees claimed Wales received just 2% of total UK rail investment despite having 10% of its railways. “The further west you go in Wales, the worse it gets,” he said.

Cllr Rees added that poor-quality rail provision limited economic, tourism, education and healthcare opportunities. “This is not asking for favours, it’s about asking for fairness,” he said.

Plaid councillor Colin Evans said he believed services on a reopened Amman Valley line would be well used and bring in “badly needed revenue” to the area. He also applauded the efforts of the Amman Valley Railway Society.

Investment

Labour opposition group leader Cllr Deryk Cundy said more than £800 million had been invested in new trains by the Welsh Government and that he believed more funding could be secured in due course. It was time, he said, for investment to reach west Wales. “I do believe we will be able to get this funding which we were not able to get previously,” he said.

Plaid councillor Handel Davies said he felt rail had been neglected for decades and contrasted this to electrified trains in Europe which arrived on time and “travel distances quickly without issue”.

The council will now write to Wales’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Ken Skates, asking for greater clarity and accelerated investment in rail infrastructure in west Wales as a matter of urgency. The letter will also express support for the devolution of railways to Wales.

Mr Skates said Labour was committed to improving public transport across Wales. “We have invested £800 million on new trains delivering more capacity and higher-quality journeys for passengers travelling across Wales and the borders,” he said.

“Transport for Wales is reinstating the fifth train on the Heart of Wales Line, and we have supported the extension of GWR trains from London to Carmarthen.”

Improvements

He added: “We have been clear and consistent in our position that Wales has been underfunded in rail infrastructure investment, which has now been recognised by the UK Government. We will continue to work with them on an ambitious pipeline of improvements to deliver upgrades across Wales.”

Last November, Transport for Wales said early-stage development work for a station at St Clears had taken place and could progress in the future if funding became available.

The UK Government said priorities for rail investment throughout Wales were discussed and agreed with the Welsh Government and Transport for Wales via the Wales Rail Board.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “Last year we allocated £1.9 billion to Wales up until 2029, which will be used to improve rail performance and invest in areas that matter most to passengers and freight customers.

“We are committed to boosting growth and connectivity, working closely with the Welsh Government in making decisions on rail services that work best for its communities, which is why we also provided a further £445 million to enhance Welsh railways and help unlock Wales’s economic potential.”

By Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter

Local Government

Call for Return of Salt Tip in North Pembrokeshire to Improve Winter Road Safety

Published

3 hours ago

December 13, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PROPOSAL for the reinstatement of a salt tip in North Pembrokeshire to improve road safety during snowy and icy conditions has been put forward by local councillor Huw Murphy.

At the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Cllr Murphy called for a review of the council’s current weather strategy, highlighting the need for an auxiliary salt tip in the north of the county. His motion, which was supported by senior councillors, aims to address the challenges faced by motorists during severe winter weather.

Cllr Murphy’s motion emphasized the importance of having a reserve salt tip available to ensure primary routes remain clear and accessible during snow and ice conditions. This would allow emergency services to respond to calls, key workers to reach their workplaces, and essential vehicles like HGVs to access farms for activities such as milk collection.

Historically, a salt tip was located near Crymych, which proved invaluable for gritting roads, particularly the A478 between Crymych and Cardigan, and between Crymych and Clunderwen. These roads, often treacherous during snowy weather, have caused difficulties for HGVs, coaches, and school buses in the past.

The proposal stresses that a new salt tip in Pembrokeshire would allow for quicker and more regular gritting, making roads safer for all users, especially during the harshest winter conditions. Cllr Murphy also highlighted that recent heavy snowfall exposed weaknesses in the current gritting strategy, particularly in the northeast of Pembrokeshire and the Preseli Mountains, which are most prone to severe weather.

The motion also called for prompt gritting and the deployment of snow ploughs on key routes, including the A478, A487, B4332, and B4329, which are vital for the local communities in the northeast and Preseli areas.

The county council’s Cabinet will now consider Cllr Murphy’s motion for further review.

Local Government

Carmarthenshire welcomes new council leader

Published

2 days ago

December 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

New Cabinet confirmed following Full Council meeting

COUNCILLOR Linda Evans has been appointed Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council and Chair of the Cabinet following a meeting of Full Council on Wednesday (Dec 10).

A long-serving Plaid Cymru councillor for the Llanfihangel-ar-Arth ward, Cllr Evans has served on the authority since 2008 and has been a Cabinet Member since 2015.

Her appointment was formally confirmed during the meeting, where she also announced her Cabinet team — a 10-member executive responsible for the council’s overall business. The Cabinet meets fortnightly to make key decisions and recommendations to Full Council and, in some cases, decisions can be taken individually by Cabinet Members.

All members of the previous administration have retained their roles, with one change: Cllr Emlyn Schiavone joins the Cabinet as the new Cabinet Member for Homes.

The full Cabinet is as follows:

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Leisure, Culture and Tourism: Cllr Hazel Evans
Cabinet Member for Education: Cllr Glynog Davies
Cabinet Member for Rural Affairs, Communities and Welsh Language: Cllr Carys Jones
Cabinet Member for Organisation and Workforce: Cllr Philip Hughes
Cabinet Member for Resources: Cllr Alun Lenny
Cabinet Member for Homes: Cllr Emlyn Schiavone
Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services: Cllr Edward Thomas
Cabinet Member for Integrated Health and Children and Adult Social Services: Cllr Jane Tremlett
Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Decarbonisation and Sustainability: Cllr Aled Vaughan Owen
Leader of the Council: Cllr Linda Evans

Speaking after her appointment, Cllr Evans said:
“It’s an honour to be elected as Council Leader and I look forward to working with the Cabinet and all members across the chamber for the benefit of the residents of Carmarthenshire.”

Climate

Urgent calls for action on Pembroke Commons flooding

Published

2 days ago

December 11, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

TWO PEMBROKESHIRE councillors have submitted an urgent call for action following recent heavy flooding in parts of Pembroke.

Pembroke councillors Aaron Carey and Jonathan Grimes have submitted an urgent notice of motion ahead of tomorrow’s December 12 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council following heavy flooding in the town’s Commons and Castle Pond area.

The notice of motion covers six points.

“That this council notes with concern the repeated and increasingly severe flooding experienced in our coastal, estuarial and river-fringe communities over recent weeks — in particular the flooding events affecting the Commons/Castle Pond area.

“That the council further notes that, according to correspondence from the Coastal, Rivers & Drainage Team Manager, the tipping gate at the barrage remains out of operation until mid-January due to mechanical issues; meanwhile high tide, heavy rain, wind-driven tidal surges and overspill at the sluice have combined to overwhelm the drainage/outfall infrastructure.

“That we recognise the current maintenance schedule (delayed till after the summer season) and the justification given — but further that such planning failed to foresee the likelihood of severe winter storm and surge events, which climate change makes more frequent and more intense.

“That this council therefore calls on the Cabinet to commission an urgent review of:

The adequacy of the current drainage/outfall and tidal-sluice infrastructure (barrage tipping gate, sluice/sluice-valve, flap valve, outfall capacity) for current and projected climate/tide conditions.
The maintenance scheduling policy for coastal and estuarial flood-risk assets, with a view to ensuring critical maintenance is completed before winter high-tide / storm-surge season, rather than — as at present — being delayed until after summer for ‘recreational / biodiversity’ reasons.

“That, pending the outcome of the review, the council should allocate appropriate emergency capital funding to remediate the barrages / sluices / outfalls at risk of failure or blockage — to safeguard residents, properties, highways and public amenities from further flooding.

“That, further, this council resolves to publish a public flood-resilience plan for the county, identifying all coastal and river-fringe ‘hotspots,’ maintenance schedules, responsible teams, and a transparent timeline for upgrades or remedial works — so residents have clarity and confidence in flood prevention measures.”

The submission also includes a question for Cabinet Member Cllr Rhys Sinnett.

“In light of the repeated flooding events across the county – including the recent overflow at Castle Pond and the acknowledgement by your own Coastal, Rivers & Drainage Team that the barrage tipping gate remains inoperable until mid-January can you explain what assessment has been made of the adequacy of our tidal outfall infrastructure in the face of current and projected future storm surges and sea-level rise?

“If no such assessment has yet been undertaken, will you commit now to commissioning an immediate structural and risk-capacity audit, with a report to full council within three months, and with proposals for funding any remedial works required — to avoid recurring damage and disruption to residents, highways, and public amenities?”