Community

End of the line for deregulation as Senedd backs bus shake-up

Published

55 seconds ago

December 10, 2025

THE WELSH Parliament has given the green light for a bus services overhaul, putting ministers in the driving seat to decide routes, timetables and fares.

Senedd Members voted 34-10, with two abstentions, in favour of a bill to replace the current system in which private operators decide most routes on a commercial basis.

A franchising model, similar to London’s, will be rolled out as Wales ditches deregulation introduced by the Thatcher government in the 1980s, with a 56% fall in journeys since.

Under the bus bill, which lifts limits on councils running services, the Welsh Government will take control of the network, with Transport for Wales responsible for implementation.

The draft law was introduced because private operators often cut “socially necessary” but unprofitable routes, leaving people stranded and forcing ministers to step in with subsidies.

The new system, which has been about a decade in the making, will be introduced in phases over about five years in four regions, beginning in south-west Wales in 2027.

An impact assessment put the total costs of the reforms over 30 years at £623m which was outweighed by estimated benefits of £3.6bn, a return of approximately £5 for every £1 spent.

Transport and North Wales secretary Ken Skates

Ken Skates, Wales’ transport secretary, said passing the “landmark” bill will put people first in the design and delivery of bus services.

He told the Senedd: “It will restore growth to the industry and it will also help to create one network, one timetable, one ticket across public transport.

“Vote for this bill and we will, finally, have the tools to transform public transport for the better in Wales.”

But Sam Rowlands, the Conservatives’ shadow transport secretary, depicted the “rushed” plans as fundamentally flawed and overly focused on urban areas.

Warning rural Wales has been neglected, Mr Rowlands said: “One-third of the population of Wales live in rural areas yet there is no clear vision for rural bus networks.”

He told Senedd Members the franchising model will not work in Wales and risk creating a “one-size-fits-all” system that is “too rigid to respond to local needs”.

Mr Rowlands warned smaller bus operators could be pushed out and he bemoaned a “once-in-a-generation” missed opportunity to create an accessible bus network.

Plaid Cymru’s Delyth Jewell backed the bill and welcomed amendments to include school transport when planning bus services, with a duty to consider access to education.

South Wales East's Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell — South Wales East’s Plaid Cymru MS Delyth Jewell

Jenny Rathbone, a Labour backbencher, described the bus bill as an “essential measure” to make better use of taxpayers’ money through a more rational system.

She said: “Currently, we have to lay on special school buses to transport secondary school pupils… because there’s no public bus to get them there. Instead, rival groups of public and private bus providers compete for the most profitable routes.”

Ms Rathbone told Senedd Members it cost Cardiff almost as much to transport children with additional learning needs (£11.1m) as it did to educate them (£11.3m) last year.

Carolyn Thomas, a fellow Labour politician, said the bill will address the issue of operators having to be heavily subsidised to take on less lucrative contracts in rural areas.

With no legal challenge expected following the final “stage-four” vote on December 9, the bill – which was delayed by the pandemic – should receive royal assent in the coming weeks.

Community

Gypsy Traveller sites in Pembrokeshire to be discussed

Published

29 minutes ago

December 10, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL for a special group to evaluate “sustainable, inclusive, and effective practices for the maintenance of local Gypsy Traveller sites within the county” is to be heard by Pembrokeshire councillors later this week.

In a notice of motion before the December 12 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembroke Monkton and St Mary South councillor Aaron Carey will call for ‘The establishment of a cross-departmental Working Group for the maintenance of local Gypsy Traveller sites’.

Cllr Carey’s motion reads: “That council agrees to the establishment of a cross-departmental working group, comprised of relevant council representatives, stakeholders, and representatives of local Gypsy Traveller communities, with the objective of assessing, evaluating, and recommending sustainable, inclusive, and effective practices for the maintenance of local Gypsy Traveller sites within the county.

“The working group will: Assess the current condition of Gypsy Traveller sites, including infrastructure, safety, sanitation, and accessibility. Engage with Gypsy Traveller communities to understand their specific needs and concerns regarding site maintenance.

“Review best practices from other local authorities and regions for managing and maintaining Gypsy Traveller sites. Consider the financial and resource implications of maintenance proposals and develop a clear action plan.

“Provide recommendations to the council for improvements and sustainable management of the sites, with the aim of improving living conditions for residents. The working group will present its findings and recommendations to full Council/Cabinet/O&S (where appropriate) within six months of the establishment of the group, following a series of consultations and site visits.”

Cllr Carey’s notice will be heard by members at the meeting.

Community

Narbelles WI celebrate successful AGM and present charity cheque

Published

7 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

MEMBERS of Narbelles WI gathered this November for a warm and lively Annual General Meeting, marked by friendship, fundraising and a touch of friendly competition.

The meeting opened with a heartfelt President’s Address delivered by Kayla, setting an uplifting tone for the evening. Laughter soon followed as members took part in an entertaining quiz, ultimately won by the aptly named No W-Idea team — Alyson, Sharon and Jo — who secured bragging rights for the night.

A highlight of the AGM was the visit from Rosie-Faye Hart, attending on behalf of the Paul Sartori Foundation. She received the group’s 2025 fundraising cheque for £333, raised through the Narbelles WI’s sunflower bucket collection during Narberth Civic Week as well as proceeds from their September guest talk on the Ocky White Finds. That talk was delivered by Fran Murphy of Heneb, The Trust For Welsh Archaeology and proved both popular and informative among members.

The Narbelles WI look ahead to the coming year with pride in their community efforts and gratitude for the continued support that makes their charitable work possible.

Community

Councillor shares update on ongoing flooding issues at The Commons, Pembroke

Published

8 hours ago

December 10, 2025

Luke Sinclair

REPEATED flooding on The Commons in Pembroke has prompted renewed concern among residents, with local councillor Jonathan Grimes, County Councillor for Pembroke St Mary South & Monkton, seeking clarity from Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC). He has now shared an update following a response from the council’s Coastal, Rivers and Drainage Team.

Cllr Grimes said he had raised the issue after further problems in the area, and the council confirmed that teams are currently stretched due to widespread flooding across the county.

A spokesperson for the team stated: “PCC Highways Maintenance teams are attending a high number of locations across the county, to ensure that trash screens, culverts and highway drainage (plus others) are not blocked and free flowing. The Commons will be on their list to attend and inspect. I appreciate residents are concerned but their situation is not unique at this time, and there is widespread flooding across the county.”

The council confirmed that the barrage tipping gate remains out of action and will not be working until mid-January due to unforeseen issues with its ram. Despite this, a sluice within the barrage is currently open and helping to reduce Castle Pond water levels, although only when the water level in the pond is higher than in the estuary.

The update continued:
“The barrage tipping gate is not operational, and will not be operational until mid-January due to unforeseen issues with the ram. However there is a sluice within the barrage which is open, and is able to assist with lowering the levels of the Castle Pond, when the head of water is greater in the pond, rather than the estuary. Once the tide is high, the flap valve at the outfall of the sluice is unable to open and this prevents tidal water entering the Castle Pond, which is a positive feature.”

Council officers added that current conditions are being made worse by a combination of high tides and ongoing yellow weather warnings for rain and wind, which have contributed to tidal surges.

They also addressed comments from residents questioning why maintenance work had not been completed during the summer.
“There have also been comments that the maintenance work at the barrage (and associated infrastructure) should have been completed in the summer, but we were advised that the school summer holiday season was not an appropriate time to do the work. Castle Pond would have become stagnant, no one would be able to use the pond recreationally, the coastal path would need to be closed in peak season, and this would have negatively impacted on the biodiversity. We were not able to foresee the extremely poor weather we have experienced lately but overall, last winter was mild. December 2024 was the 5th warmest on record, and only Storm Darragh (red weather warning for wind) was noted (Storm Bert didn’t really affect Pembrokeshire when compared to other Local Authorities in Wales).”

The barrage tipping gate is expected to be operational again by mid-January. The coastal path will then be closed for three weeks from 12 January 2026 to allow works to be completed, with new signage to be installed shortly.

Cllr Grimes added that he would continue to keep residents informed as further updates become available.