News

Cleddau Bridge will be free by 2020, says Welsh Labour

Published

8 years ago

October 1, 2017

THE WELSH Labour Government has signalled that it will scrap the Cleddau Bridge tolls by 2020 in a budget deal it has announced today (Oct 1).

The toll, 75p for a car, is said to have divided the county and have been the subject of repeated campaigns for the scrapping of the charge. Removing the fee to cross the A477 could save workers up to £360 a year, and improve the economy of the area say supporters.

Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Labour spokesperson, Marc Tierney told The Herald: “Labour has been campaigning for a long time to remove the tax to cross the Cleddau. Thousands signed a petition I launched back in the Summer of 2015 to remove the charges which many see as an unfair tax and a barrier to trade across the river.

“I am pleased that the Welsh Labour Government will honour the commitment it made in December 2015 to examine all options with a view to scrapping the toll. Whilst I will be seeking to ensure staff are redeployed elsewhere within the Council, I am confident a toll free bridge will bring benefits to the local economy.”

Philippa Thompson, Labour’s candidate at the last General Election for Preseli Pembrokeshire also supported the campaign and has welcomed the decision to drop the toll from 2020.

She commented: “The Cleddau Bridge toll has held back our economy and added a financial burden to local families. People living on one side of the Haven but working on the other are set to save more than £360 a year by having these charges dropped. This is good news for local people and local businesses. The Welsh Labour Government has heard local people’s views and acted on them.”

Cllr Paul Miller, Labour leader on Pembrokeshire County Council said in a statement: “I’ve always been a firm advocate for scrapping the Cleddau Bridge tolls as have a number of my cabinet colleagues. The tolls are, without question, an unwelcome barrier to trade in Pembrokeshire and removing that barrier, which currently almost perfectly divides the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone, can only be a positive thing.

“That said, there is much work to do before scrapping the tolls becomes a reality. Since the new administration came into being in April we’ve had some very high level discussions with Welsh Government on this issue but the detail is key. I’m acutely aware the bridge has significant implications for the authority’s budget and there is of course a potential impact on our staff too.

“I’m looking forward to working with my colleagues in Government to agree the detail in the coming months.”

Charity

Christmas jumper fundraiser raises £360 for youth counselling

Published

2 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

A CHRISTMAS Jumper Day fundraiser held by staff at W.B. Griffiths & Son Ltd has raised £360 for the Megan’s Starr Foundation, helping fund vital mental health support for young people.

The money, presented to the charity by Carla and Liam, will pay for 10 professional counselling sessions for young people who are struggling and in urgent need of support.

The Megan’s Starr Foundation said the sessions provide a safe space for young people to talk, be listened to, and feel supported at a time when it matters most.

In a statement, the charity thanked the firm and its staff for getting involved, adding that access to timely support can be life changing and can help young people realise they are not alone.

The foundation said it was grateful to everyone at W.B. Griffiths & Son Ltd who took part, describing the donation as one that will have a real and lasting impact on local young people and their mental health.

News

Investigation launched after man found dead near Carmarthen railway line

Published

2 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Tom Sinclair

POLICE are investigating the circumstances surrounding the death of a man whose body was found in a field close to the railway track near Carmarthen railway station.

Emergency services were called to the area at just after 8:30am on Saturday (Jan 10). Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police attended alongside paramedics from the Welsh Ambulance Service.

Witnesses reported seeing police and ambulance vehicles outside the station’s main entrance, with officers also in an adjacent field near a railway bridge.

Dyfed-Powys Police said the man’s next of kin have been informed and are being supported by officers.

A police spokesperson said enquiries are ongoing and the death is currently being treated as unexplained.

No further details, including the man’s age or identity, have been released.

Crime

Former Gwent detective would have been sacked after off duty assault conviction

Published

3 hours ago

January 14, 2026

Rieve Nesbitt-Marr

Ex officer found guilty of gross misconduct following Devon incident and magistrates court conviction

A FORMER Gwent Police detective sergeant has been found guilty of gross misconduct after being convicted of assaulting a man while off duty in Devon.

Joanne Marston resigned from the force shortly before an accelerated misconduct hearing was due to begin at Cwmbran on Monday. The panel went ahead in her absence.

The hearing was told the incident happened in February 2024 while Marston was off duty in Devon. She was later arrested and charged with common assault, and was convicted at Exeter Magistrates’ Court in March last year.

A professional standards investigation concluded she had breached the police standards of professional behaviour relating to discreditable conduct. The panel upheld the allegation and found it amounted to gross misconduct.

Had she remained a serving officer, the panel ruled she would have been dismissed without notice.

Assistant Chief Constable Vicki Townsend, who chaired the hearing, said the former officer’s actions were “shocking and unacceptable” and warned that such behaviour damages public confidence in policing.

Marston will now be placed on the College of Policing barred list, preventing her from serving with any police force in the UK.