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New car park meter for Martins Haven

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Screen Shot 2016-08-11 at 12.31.30A PAY and display meter is to be installed in the car park at Martins Haven after plans were approved by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. 

The Park’s Development Management Committee met on Wednesday (Jul 20) and approved the plans with 13 voting for and three voting against.

The application was reported to the committee because of an objection from Marloes and St Brides Community Council.

Councillor Reg Owens had asked for the application to be deferred so that the Community Council could attend and put across their views, but that was not supported.

The agent for the application, Mr Andrew Tuddenham, said: “We put forward the scheme with a lot of consideration for design and siting. We had various options as to where the machine would go in the car park but for the least visual impact, it is tucked up against the wall of the car park hut.

“We looked at whether it needed a sign next to it for the tariff and terms and conditions but felt that was not necessary, as they can be put on the side of the machine, minimising the visual intrusion.

“We’re satisfied that it meets and complies with policy and National Park requirements.

“We also considered security in that this is a scheme which is widely used throughout Pembrokeshire car parks.

“Our model of operating car parks is that we intend to have an attendant there most of the time as we do at the moment. This machine then gives the opportunity to generate revenue at the times when there are not many cars around.”

Councillor Peter Morgan asked if the machine would take cards and Mr Tuddenham responded saying they would be adding a scanning mechanism to the machine for National Trust members to scan their cards.

Cllr Reg Owens said: “This may seem a trivial application but my friends at the Marloes and St Brides Community Council strongly oppose this pay and display machine coming into this car park.

“It’s a very isolated car park and they feel it is the unnecessary urbanisation of a very beautiful area.

“When we deal with car parks, they do attract, at night time, anti-social behaviour with mostly young people coming there with their cars and the Community Council feel that, with a pay and display machine, it is going to attract more of this sort of behaviour.

“They also feel that it is not in-keeping. This is the entrance to Skomer Island and they have made it quite clear to the National Trust that they don’t want this pay and display machine.

“The National Trust and Marloes do work very closely and the National Trust gives a concession for parking to local residents.

“There should have been a representative here from Marloes and St Brides to speak to us but unfortunately they fell foul of the time limit and that is very unusual for them.

“In the interests of democracy and fair play, I would like to propose that we defer the decision so that Marloes and St Brides Community Council have one more chance to come here and speak to us, perhaps more passionately than I have, about the issues.”

Cllr Owens’ suggestion was not supported by other members.

Cllr Morgan asked when the pay and display meters would be erected and it was pointed out that they would be up by the end of the current season.

 

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Charity

Public urged not to ‘rescue’ healthy young gulls as summer admissions rise

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ANIMAL rescue organisations are urging people to think twice before intervening with young gulls this summer, warning that many birds taken into care do not actually need help.

The RSPCA, Scottish SPCA and British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council say thousands of gulls are brought into rescue centres every year, with many cases involving healthy chicks or fledglings that have simply left the nest as part of learning to fly.

The organisations say well-meaning members of the public often mistake this normal stage of development for abandonment, even though parent birds are usually nearby and continue to feed and protect their young.

RSPCA wildlife rescue expert Verity Miles said: “Each summer, our wildlife centres see a surge in young gulls being brought in by kind members of the public.

“Gulls are such underappreciated animals, so it’s amazing so many people want to help them. However, in many cases these birds have not been abandoned, but have left the nest as they learn to fly. This is a normal part of their development.

“Their parents will usually remain nearby and continue to feed and protect them, but sadly many well-meaning passers-by will mistake this for abandonment.”

The warning comes as rescue teams prepare for the peak breeding season, when calls about gulls rise sharply.

Sean Meechan, Wildlife Operations Lead at the Scottish SPCA, said officers attend thousands of gull-related calls every year, particularly in early summer.

He said: “While some situations do require intervention, the majority involve healthy birds that are best left alone.”

Experts say removing a healthy chick or fledgling can cause stress and reduce its chances of survival. They also warn that disturbing or taking gulls, eggs or nests can be an offence unless there is a genuine need to intervene.

Paul Reynolds, Chair of the British Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, said: “Taking a healthy chick or fledgling away from their parents can cause stress to the young bird and significantly reduce their chance of survival.

“Not only that, but it is also an offence to disturb, or take gulls or eggs from their nests, unless absolutely necessary, so you may inadvertently be breaking the law by bringing in gulls that are not sick or injured.”

The RSPCA says it has cared for nearly 4,000 gulls in its wildlife centres over the past five years, with admissions peaking in June. More than half involved young birds believed to be orphaned or grounded.

The Scottish SPCA attended more than 11,000 gull-related incidents over the same period.

The organisations say the public should leave uninjured young gulls where they are so their parents can continue to feed them. Very young chicks in immediate danger can be moved carefully to a nearby safe, elevated spot if possible.

People should only intervene if a bird is clearly sick or injured.

Anyone who finds an injured baby gull is advised to contact a vet or reputable wildlife rehabilitator. Injured adult gulls can be reported to the RSPCA in England and Wales, or the Scottish SPCA in Scotland.

Rescue organisations also warn that unnecessary handling and higher numbers of birds in care can increase the risk of disease transmission, including avian influenza.

Sean Meechan added: “The Scottish Government advises against handling gulls. If you’re concerned, the best course of action is to contact us and we can assess the situation.”

 

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Community

Welsh legal and housing charities share in £3.9m consumer justice funding

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WELSH legal and housing advice charities are to receive funding from a £3.9 million grants programme using unclaimed money from a major class action case.

The Access to Justice Foundation has announced the recipients of its Improving Lives Through Advice 2026 programme, which will support 16 organisations across the UK over three years.

The money comes from unclaimed settlement funds from the Gutmann v SW Trains case, also known as the Boundary Fare class action.

In Wales, the organisations named include Citizens Advice Caerphilly Blaenau Gwent, Cyngor ar Bopeth Powys Citizens Advice, Speakeasy Law Centre, also known as South Wales Law Centre, and Shelter Cymru.

The foundation said the funding is being directed to areas where class members were based and where access to free legal advice is most needed.

Although no Pembrokeshire organisation is named directly, the funding is likely to support services used by people across Wales, including those facing housing problems, debt, benefits issues, consumer disputes and difficulties accessing legal advice.

Clare Carter, chief executive of the Access to Justice Foundation, said: “Unclaimed funds from collective actions represent a significant opportunity to strengthen access to justice.

“These organisations are the first point of call for people to understand and enforce their rights. This grant round will ensure that the outcomes of collective actions are felt by consumers across the UK.”

The foundation said the programme had been heavily oversubscribed, with 315 applications seeking more than £70 million in support.

It said the level of demand showed the pressure facing free legal advice services, with many charities now acting as the first and only place people can turn when trying to enforce their rights.

The Access to Justice Foundation said more than two thirds of adults in England and Wales face a legal problem each year, while more than 11 million people do not get help to resolve their legal issues.

The grants programme is the first in the UK to redistribute unclaimed class action money in this way.

 

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Business

Rail delays and cancellations fall after regulator intervention

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PASSENGERS in Wales and the West of England are seeing fewer train cancellations and slightly better punctuality following action by the rail regulator.

The Office of Rail and Road has formally closed enforcement action against Network Rail after monitoring a long-term performance improvement plan for its Wales and Western region.

The plan followed an investigation in 2024, which found that Network Rail’s infrastructure and working practices were contributing to poor train performance across the region.

Since August 2024, Network Rail says cancellations have fallen by more than a fifth, while the proportion of trains arriving within three minutes of their scheduled time has improved from 77.6% to 79.4%.

The improvements followed work on track, overhead line equipment, axle counters and points in the Thames Valley area, as well as flood resilience work at Chipping Sodbury.

Network Rail has also introduced welfare officers at key Thames Valley stations to help prevent trespass and has made changes to train control, timetable planning, incident learning and the management of stranded trains.

Graham Richards, Director of Planning and Performance at the Office of Rail and Road, said: “Following concerted efforts from Network Rail, and continued engagement by our teams at ORR, I am pleased to see that passengers in Wales and Western are experiencing better, more reliable train services.

“Nevertheless, we know that for many passengers train performance is not what they would expect – so we are continuing to work with train operators and Network Rail across the country on how to further improve performance.”

Mark Killick, Network Rail’s Managing Director for Wales and Western Region, said: “Customers are seeing a more reliable railway, reflecting the extensive improvements we’ve delivered over the last two years.

“We know delays and cancellations still impact journeys, so while this progress is a positive step, we continue to work closely with our industry partners to deliver an ever more reliable railway for our customers.”

 

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