News
Yellow weather warning as Storm Franklin approaches Pembrokeshire
A YELLOW weather warning has been issued for very strong winds on Sunday and Monday.
Named Storm Franklin by the Met Office, winds speeds locally could be higher than those brought by Storm Eunice on Friday.
The warning becomes active at 12pm Sunday through to 1pm Monday.
Forecasts show gusts of wind in Pembrokeshire during the active yellow alert period could reach speeds similar to those seen during the Storm Eunice amber alert on Friday.
Locally Storm Franklin will peak between 3am and 7am on Monday with wind gusts forecast in excess of 65mph.
During Storm Eunice on Friday the highest wind speed recorded at the Hawarden airport weather station – as used by the Met Office to gather data – reached 54mph.
The Met Office weather warning states:
“Further periods of very strong winds on Sunday and Monday, with possible disruption.”
What to expect
- Some damage to buildings, such as tiles blown from roofs, could happen, along with trees/branches being brought down
- Road, rail, air and ferry services may be affected, with longer journey times and cancellations possible
- Some roads and bridges may close
- Power cuts may occur, with the potential to affect other services, such as mobile phone coverage
- Injuries and danger to life could occur from large waves and beach material being thrown onto sea fronts, coastal roads and properties
The Met Office says: “Winds are likely to strengthen across England and Wales on Sunday, as an increasingly squally band of rain moves southeastwards.”
“Gusts of 55-60 mph are expected widely around south and west facing coasts, but possibly also briefly inland.”#
“There is a chance that a few exposed places could see gusts near 70 mph.”
“Strong gusts associated with blustery wintry showers will follow from the north.”
“A swathe of very strong winds will reach Northern Ireland later Sunday evening in association with Storm Franklin.”
“These very strong winds will spread to many other western, central and southern areas of the UK overnight and early Monday, with gusts widely 50-60 mph, whilst west facing coastal districts will see gusts of 65-75 mph and perhaps 80 mph briefly near north coast of Northern Ireland.”
“In the south these strong winds may hamper, or slow, ongoing recovery efforts in the wake of Storm Eunice.”
“Winds will ease steadily from the northwest during the remainder of Monday.”
UPDATE FROM LOCAL AUTHORITY / WESTERN POWER
Western Power has continued to work through the night to restore electricity to customers. This has been the worst storm ever experienced in the region for the utility company in terms of impacts/calls. Engineers are continuing to work to restore power to remaining customers. The latest update is here: https://powercuts.westernpower.co.uk. BT has also worked hard to restore phone lines where cables have been affected.
Latest Situation and reminder of trees to be cleared during working week:
– We have 2 teams out for building maintenance. We are currently dealing with a dozen emergency calls not including remaining calls from yesterday. Yesterday, we had the region of 65 emergency calls that the team dealt with to assess damages as well as remaining requests from Friday. Some repairs will only be undertaken when safe to do so due to inclement weather conditions.
North
o Glandwr – SA34 0YD– Cables on the road posing hazard – road is closed until Western Power can attend.
o Slade Lane – Trees down on footpath – Countryside Access team to assess Monday
o Lotta Park – tree down – to be cleared during working week
South
o Wood Lane – Jeffreyston to Cresselly – Large trees blocking the road – Trees on power lines – Road Closed – To be cleared Sunday
o Tenby – Tiles on the pavements falling off – Pavement barriered off
o WRC Site – team to assess damage to fencing structure
o Tree on roundabout by Technium Centre blocking road – Team on site
o Dangerous tree, Redberth Playground – Playground to be closed until can be assessed next week
o Narberth – tree on the B4314 road to crematorium blocking the road – team on site
Central
o Damage to hedge in St Ishmaels to be addressed during working week
o B4330 Camrose by Callfield Farm – Wire cross road – reported to BT – Awaiting update
o Portfield Gate to Sutton – Tree on side of the road – Road is passable with care and tree has been cornered off
o Havens Head, Hubberston, Milford Haven – Dangerous tree leaning over road/cables – To be assessed next week with contractor
o Haven Road – dangerous structure on house – Assessed by Fire Service – Footpath closed until fixed by private landowner
o Withybush Woods will remain closed due to a number of trees having fallen off – Work will be carried out during the working week
MORE TO FOLLOW
Cover image: Saundersfoot on Friday, by Gareth Davies Photography
A MILFORD HAVEN man has appeared before magistrates charged with possessing a machete and a knuckle duster at his home in Milford Haven.
Bradley Southall, 49, is also accused of possessing a quantity of cannabis with intent to supply, and of being concerned in the supply of the Class B drug.
The charges follow his arrest at a property in Precelly Place, Milford Haven, on September 9, 2024.
This week, Southall appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court where he denied all four charges. He claimed the knuckle duster was a family heirloom and said he uses the machete for gardening purposes.
At the request of the Crown Prosecution Service, magistrates declined jurisdiction and committed the case to Swansea Crown Court. His trial is scheduled to begin on May 9.
Southall was released on unconditional bail.
Opposition warns of financial risk while Welsh Government defends plans to improve services
BUS passenger numbers in Wales remain significantly below pre-pandemic levels, raising questions over the long-term viability of the Welsh Government’s proposed Bus Services (Wales) Bill.
Figures released for the 12 months up to March 2024 show that bus usage in Wales has recovered to just 78.3% of its March 2020 levels—well behind the figures for Scotland (92.5%) and England (89.5%), and below the Great Britain average of 89.5%.
The statistics have prompted criticism from the Welsh Conservatives, who say the figures expose the financial risks of the new legislation.
Commenting, Peter Fox MS, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Transport and Infrastructure, said:
“Passenger growth has been slow for not only buses in Wales but also for trains, leading to a £295m bailout for Transport for Wales (TfW) by the Welsh Labour Government last year to compensate for declining passenger numbers.
“There was already a very real risk of Labour’s new Bus Bill becoming another money pit for the Welsh taxpayer. Once bus franchising comes into play, will we see similarly large sums of public money poured into keeping bus franchises afloat?”
He added that the Welsh Government must ensure that rural and isolated communities are not left behind in any overhaul of services: “The Labour Welsh Government must prioritise support for the most hard-to-reach areas and ensure the development of a sustainable and effective bus network that meets the needs of communities across Wales.”
The Bus Services (Wales) Bill, introduced earlier this year, would give local authorities and Transport for Wales greater control over how services are operated. The legislation is designed to replace the current deregulated system with a franchised model—similar to that used in parts of England—allowing councils to plan routes, set fares, and integrate ticketing across providers.
A Welsh Government spokesperson said the aim of the Bill is not to replicate current models but to improve accessibility, connectivity, and reliability of public transport in Wales:
“The current deregulated system has failed many communities, particularly in rural areas. The Bus Services (Wales) Bill will allow local authorities to work with providers in a more joined-up way, offering passengers a more consistent and dependable service.
“We recognise the financial challenges facing public transport, but we are committed to creating a network that serves people, not just profit.”
Public transport campaigners have said that passenger numbers alone should not be the only metric for success. Transform Cymru, a coalition advocating for sustainable transport, pointed to the need for long-term investment and public trust in services:
“The drop in passenger numbers reflects not just post-pandemic trends, but also decades of underinvestment and service cuts. If we want people to get back on buses, services need to be reliable, affordable and convenient.”
As the Bill progresses through the Senedd, its financial implications, particularly in light of current budgetary pressures, are likely to remain a key point of debate.
A MAN accused of attacking another man at a pub in Pembroke Dock will face trial later this year.
Stuart York, aged 60, of Wellington Street, Pembroke Dock, appeared at Swansea Crown Court charged with unlawful wounding following an incident at The Prince of Wales pub on May 30, 2023.
It is alleged that York pushed a man and caused grievous bodily harm to the back of his head.
He pleaded not guilty.
The court heard that York denies being the man seen on CCTV footage of the incident, claiming he was barred from the premises at the time and did not drink alcohol.
Judge Huw Rees set a trial date for August 21. York was granted bail.
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