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News

Residents fight to re-open footpath

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Closed for safety: Path was shut in 2014

Closed for safety: Path was shut in 2014

A RESIDENT of Beach Hill in Milford Haven has spoken to The Herald about his and his neighbours’ frustration at trying to get a closed section of footpath near his home re-opened to the public.

The footpath off their road was closed for safety reasons in the summer of 2014.

David Horton and most of the other residents of the road have signed a petition asking the local authority to act to ensure that the footpath remains open; however, recent developments have rekindled fears that the path will be lost forever.

In June, a council officer, Matt Cloud, wrote to Mr Horton stating that the closed section of path had been cleared and ‘our engineers will be designing a safe route with handrail and tarmac surface along that section’.

However, a recent tarmacking project by the council did not encompass the closed section of path as promised.

Speaking to The Herald, Mr Horton said: “A couple of years ago, a building plot adjacent to our home was sold. The plot was bounded on three side by public pathways, two of which are the official coastal path. The purchaser told me that he ‘knew people’ in the council.

“Within a very short time, he had undermined the coastal path by digging it out to enlarge his property, making the path dangerous. The council, instead of insisting that the path be repaired, simply closed it. This has forced people to use an alternative route which is very steep and difficult.

“On calling the council, they told me that they had done a survey and that people don’t use the closed section anyway.”

Mr Horton explained the latest developments. He said: “On October 20, there was a total about-face by the council. Contractors have now laid gravel on the alternative much steeper path. Matt Cloud from the council has now confirmed to me that the council now intends to tarmac the alternative path and open the closed section ‘sometime in the near future’.

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council told The Herald: “We are currently working on a project to improve a network of paths in the area, including paths that connect with Beach Hill.”

He added: “There are no ‘original’ or ‘alternative’ paths as all routes that are being improved are public Rights of Way. There are issues with a small section of one of the paths that are currently being discussed between the council and the contractors. We are working to resolve these issues.”

The spokesman said: “We do not accept at this point that a section of path has been undermined by a landowner.”

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Community

Ground breaking event marks start of key Haverfordwest Public Transport project

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KIER and Pembrokeshire County Council held a traditional ground breaking event at Haverfordwest Public Transport Interchange (HPTI) last month – celebrating the official start of work on site.

Council members including the Leader Councillor Jon Harvey, Deputy Leader Councillor Paul Miller, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Councillor Rhys Sinnett and for Haverfordwest Castle ward Councillor Thomas Tudor, joined Kier for the event with the ceremonial breaking of the ground marking a key milestone in the project’s progress.

The scheme includes the construction of a modern bus station and multi-storey car park to Haverfordwest’s town centre, providing a new interchange for buses and coaches, with upgraded passenger facilities.

Designed by architects BDP and built by Kier, the completed scheme will include more than 300 parking spaces, seven bus bays, public toilets and accessible changing facilities for people with disabilities.

The project also has a number of sustainable features including electric vehicle charging facilities and an array of solar panels on the roof which will supply  the vast majority of the building’s energy usage and help Pembrokeshire County Council meet their commitment to be net zero carbon by 2030.   

Ian Rees, regional director at Kier Construction Western & Wales, said: “We have been on site for a number of months now undertaking essential enabling works, this ground breaking ceremony is an important milestone as we progress into the construction phase of this vitally important transport hub. 

“This transport interchange for Pembrokeshire County Council will really begin to take shape over the coming weeks and months and will ultimately deliver a much-needed, modern transport hub for the local community, improving connectivity and accessibility for residents and visitors alike.”

Cllr Paul Miller, Deputy Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “It’s great to see work starting on this new transport interchange, which is an important part of the wider Haverfordwest Masterplan. It’s designed to make it easy and convenient to visit Haverfordwest town centre which is a key part of our efforts to regenerate the town.

“I think we can all agree the previous multi-story car park had reached the end of its useful life.

 “Once we’ve completed this project, the town centre will be easily accessible both by bus and of course by car with the car park element of the project benefiting from wider spaces, EV Charging, single tap exit and payment and of course a much nicer, lighter and safer environment for users.”

Architects, landscape architects and civil and structural engineers from multidisciplinary design practice BDP designed the transport interchange.

Matthew Mayes, architect director at BDP, said: “This significant regeneration scheme will be transformational for local people, offering improved access to bus, taxi and cycling facilities with excellent connectivity to the riverside, shopping centre and railway centre.

“Our designs include striking aluminium fins that wrap around the building with stone cladding at ground level to reflect the town’s historic features and a new public square with plenty of greenery and seating for people to relax.”

Built on the site of a demolished multi-storey car park and bus station, HPTI will form part of the South West Wales Metro project, which aims to better integrate sustainable modes of transport and complements the wider regeneration work in Haverfordwest.

The design of HPTI is being funded from the Welsh Government’s Local Transport Fund.

 Kier has significant experience in south-west Wales spanning over 60 years and has included the delivery of schools, hospitals and even the home of Welsh television, S4C, in Carmarthen.

This project was procured by Kier through the South West Wales Regional Contractors Framework (SWWRCF).

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News

Welsh Government unveils new legislation to transform bus services

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PROPOSALS to overhaul the way local bus services are planned and delivered across Wales have been published today, with the aim of improving services for passengers and encouraging more people to use public transport.

A new Bill has been laid before the Senedd which, if passed, will grant powers to establish a fully integrated bus network that puts passenger needs first.

Key proposals include creating one network, one timetable, and one ticket system across Wales. Services will be designed based on local knowledge but coordinated nationally by Transport for Wales, working in close partnership with local authorities and Corporate Joint Committees. The new system would primarily operate through franchised contracts delivered by private, public, and third sector operators.

Welcoming the Bus Services (Wales) Bill, Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales Ken Skates said the legislation had the potential to transform bus travel for communities across the country.

“This is a historic day for public transport in Wales as proposals for bus reform begin their journey through the Senedd,” said Mr Skates. “This is about putting people first—offering one network, one timetable and one ticket across Wales.

“Change is needed. While some areas are well-served, it’s not the case everywhere. I want a bus network that is reliable, affordable, easy to use, and better integrated with other modes of transport such as trains and active travel.

“The benefits are clear: improved access to services, greater equity for those most reliant on public transport, and a meaningful alternative to car travel.”

Buses carry around 190,000 passengers a day in Wales and account for three-quarters of all public transport journeys. The Bill aims to address common barriers to bus use—such as poor reliability, lack of ticket interoperability between operators, and weak links with other transport modes.

The public will benefit from clearer, easier-to-navigate timetables and more seamless transitions between buses and trains. Ticket revenue will be reinvested across the country, improving services in both rural and urban areas.

Mr Skates highlighted current examples of successful integration, including the TrawsCymru T1 service, which already offers joint bus and rail tickets, and the 1bws ticket in North Wales, valid on almost every local bus in the region.

“These examples show what can be achieved with joined-up thinking,” he said. “I don’t underestimate the scale of change this Bill represents, which is why the rollout will happen region by region. But when complete, it will be truly transformational.”

The rollout is expected to begin in South West Wales in 2027, followed by North Wales in 2028, South East Wales in 2029, and Mid Wales in 2030. However, Mid Wales will benefit from earlier improvements through the Bridge to Franchising programme, already underway.

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Education

Welsh pupils harness Minecraft to explore offshore wind and climate careers

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PUPILS at Golden Grove School in Pembrokeshire are diving into the world of renewable energy and marine conservation through the immersive Minecraft Education world Offshore Wind Power Challenge—a collaboration between The Crown Estate and Microsoft UK.

Available in both Welsh and English, the virtual world enables students to design and build their own offshore wind farms to power a coastal village. Along the way, they gain insights into climate change, environmental protection, and careers in sustainability, engineering and conservation.

The initiative has now been expanded with new classroom resources tailored for younger learners and aligned to the Welsh curriculum. Lesson plans for teachers are also being provided to support the integration of the material into everyday teaching.

As part of their focus on developing green skills in schools across Wales, The Crown Estate partnered with education specialists Dosbarth to create the new learning content. The organisation is currently delivering taster sessions across the country, including to Year 5 and 6 pupils at Golden Grove.

Wales is emerging as a leader in renewable energy, with new floating offshore wind farms set to be developed in the Celtic Sea under The Crown Estate’s latest seabed leasing round. These projects have the potential to generate up to 4.5GW of electricity—enough to power more than four million homes. Independent research estimates the economic value of these developments could reach £1.4bn, supporting up to 5,300 jobs.*

Rebecca Williams, Director of Devolved Nations at The Crown Estate, said: “This is an exciting collaboration that brings new educational content to schools through the best-selling game of all time. This Minecraft Education world provides students and teachers with a fun way to explore the opportunities and challenges of our energy transition while protecting the natural environment, through the languages that matter most to them.

“The Crown Estate is committed to creating partnerships that have a positive impact. We hope this initiative will inspire young people to develop their skills and discover the green careers of the future.”

Karen Jones, Managing Director of Dosbarth, added: “By creating new materials for younger audiences that align with the Welsh curriculum—and providing accessible lesson plans for busy teachers—we believe these resources will inspire even more pupils across Wales to become the next generation of environmental leaders and problem-solvers.”

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