News

Super fast broadband to come to Pembrokeshire

Published

11 years ago

June 24, 2014

SUPERFAST CYMRU appeared in the Pembrokeshire County Council economy overview and scrutiny committee to discuss their Superfast Fibre Broadband, which they hope to be distributed throughout Wales by 2016.

BT project manager, Martin Jones said: “This is one of the most exciting projects I’ve been involved in. BT with other providers started 4 to 5 years ago pushing fibre technology, and is now is 20 million homes and premises in Wales. It is a commercial investment, but Superfast Cymru is here to deliver BT fibre broadband to rural areas as well as urban. We started out in Swansea, Cardiff, Wreham and Newport but did not want to segregate rural areas, so are pushing to reach as many people as we can. It’s quite a challenge, but eventually, Wales will have better connectivity than Japan. “It’s all about social inclusion. This is a massive engineering project. I was in the Three Mariners yesterday and they said they have very poor connectivity, so I told them about fibre broadband and how it could help their business prosper. We are finding we are having to clear out a lot of water and are finding ducts that have not been opened in 50 years, but we are dealing with it. “There is so much more that can be done with Superfact Cymru. Apps, social media, video calling, file transfers, cloud computing, interconnecting PCs and wi fi are all much better and faster with superfast fibre broadband. The key is happy people. We want to give everybody fast connectivity through BT fibre. “Our network is gaining support and working with Pembrokeshire County Council is great to make sure planning in in place and that we get the timings right due to tourism in the summer. It is an open network, therefore it is available to everything. Some press releases have said that Wales in general has poor connectivity, but we want to get the message out there that this is available. Wales tends to start off slow and figures gradually rise when word gets around. We are on Facebook and Twitter sharing information of the roll out and where it’s going”. Cllr John Allen-Mirehouse said: “Everybody is delighted this is happening. But we must remember that this is not a luxury or an option. It is part of our basic infrastructure. If businesses are going to prosper, they have got to have superfast broadband”. Martin Jones responded: “I think Wales is a massive challenge. As it stands no premises are out of bounds of our scope. All premises should be provided with this by 2016. We’re not finding it a struggle, we’re hitting every target”. Cllr David Lloyd asked: “Is there any part of Pembrokeshire that will not be covered?” Mr Jones replied: “I don’t know. There may be places so remote it may not be economical to reach them. We may know toward the end of the project, but realistically, you’re not going to spend £30,000 on one premises that may not take up our services. It’s all down to cost as this costs a ridiculous amount of money”. BT marketing manager, Ceri Fitzpatrick said: “When an area is about to receive fibre connectivity, we will deliver flyers that say ‘fibre is coming’, and once it has been done send out more flyers that say ‘fibre is here’. We’re very excited – it’s such a great project”.

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

Published

54 mins ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Crime

Three men from London admit their guilt over illegal cannabis farm

Published

2 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THREE men admit their guilt after police discover over 700 cannabis plants during a raid on a former school building in Llandysul.

Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed a warrant at the former Ysgol Gynradd Llandysul on Heol Llyn Y Fran on November 15. Inside, they found 737 cannabis plants spread across multiple rooms.

Armeld Troksi, 29, and Njazi Gjana, 27, both from Empire Avenue in Edmonton, London, along with Ervin Gjana, 24, from Durham Avenue in Romford, were arrested at the scene and later charged with producing cannabis.

The three men appeared before Swansea Crown Court, where they admitted their involvement in the illegal operation. Defence solicitor Joshua Scouller requested a pre-sentence report for Ervin Gjana, which was granted by Judge Geraint Walters.

Sentencing is scheduled for January 20.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Following a warrant executed at the former school on Heol Llyn Y Fran, officers discovered a significant cannabis grow containing 737 plants.

“We are grateful to the local community for their continued support and cooperation. Officers will remain in the area while the site is secured.

“Our commitment remains firm in disrupting drug production and supply networks across our force area.

“We encourage residents to report any suspicious activity, no matter how small it may seem. Every piece of information can make a difference, and reports can easily be submitted through our website.”