Community
Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire amongst most dangerous places to drive in Wales
THIS Road Safety Week, a report from consumer law company, Slater and Gordon, has highlighted the most dangerous areas to travel in.
The report uses the Department for Transport’s available road traffic accident data from 2018-2020 and expert insights and analysis from Slater and Gordon. It assesses incident hotspots involving personal injury, including the severity of injury, age of the victim and type of vehicle involved.
Carmarthenshire came out top in Wales as the area where road users are most likely to be injured in a road accident with approximately 1,035 people, being injured in some type of collision. Cardiff took second spot with approximately 986 people being hurt in a collision over the three-year period. Powys saw 901 injuries, Swansea 694, Rhondda 685 and Pembrokeshire 655. Newport experienced 595 people injured in accidents and Flintshire, 507. To account for a variance in population numbers, the regions were ranked in relation to accidents per person.
The worst regions to travel in Wales, are as follows:
- Carmarthenshire
- Cardiff
- Powys
- Swansea
- Rhondda
- Pembrokeshire
- Newport
- Flintshire
Those living in Scotland and Wales were most likely to be involved in a serious or fatal collision compared to the rest of the UK, with 31% of accidents in Scotland and 24% in Wales deemed to be serious or fatal. Perhaps surprisingly given its size and volume of traffic, London came bottom of this list with 15% of accidents in the area classed as serious or fatal.
When it comes to cyclists, London was the least safe with one in five (19%) accidents in the city involving a bicycle user compared to 10% in Wales, the lowest figure in the UK. Likewise, London was the least safe city for motorbike users with more than one in five (21%) accidents involving a motorbike whereas just 13% of accidents in Wales involved a motorbike.
Matt Jarvis, Chief Commercial & Insurance Services Officer at Slater and Gordon, said: “The data regarding road accidents and collisions is concerning to see. Collectively, drivers have a responsibility to ensure they are using the road in the safest way possible.
“Accidents will of course always happen but by raising awareness of the data this Road Safety Week, we really hope that those in the most prolific accident hotspots really take notice and think about their
driving behaviours. Ultimately, we want to make the UK’s roads safer for everyone.”
“Of course, this data dates from before the Covid 19 pandemic and we know that the number of road traffic accidents did decrease significantly during periods of lockdown. However, we haven’t yet seen the full impact of post-Covid changes in road usage behaviour, nor the impact of recent changes to road policy or innovation in car manufacturing. It will be incredibly interesting to see the impact on our roads in 2021 and beyond and what measures road users, car manufacturers, and the Government take to safeguard all road users.”
Community
Mayor of Bergen visits Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre
IT was a Mayoral gathering when the Burgermeisterin of Bergen, in Germany, paid a visit to Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre in the company of Councillor Aden Brinn, the Mayor of Bergen’s twin town, Pembroke.
There to meet Burgermeisterin Claudia Dettmar-Muller and her colleague Silvia Bothe were two former Mayors of Pembroke Dock, Councillors Pam George and Maureen Colgan, and trustees and volunteers who run the Centre. Joining them was Pembroke’s Deputy Mayor, Councillor Ann Mortenson.
Trustee Peter Mitchell and colleagues gave a guided town of the Centre which has extensive displays on Pembroke Dock’s rich maritime and military history spanning just over two centuries, and its connections with RAF flying boats.
Pic By Martin Cavaney.
Community
Wonderful night at Haverfordwest Library for special Poet Laureate event
HAVERFORDWEST Library was delighted to be part of the prestigious Poet Laureate Library Tour for 2024 with a special event on Friday, March 8.
Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman, Cllr Thomas Tudor extended a special welcome to the guests of honour: Poet Laureate Simon Armitage; his guests Owen Sheers and Bethany Handley; plus the winners of the recent library Poetry Competition.
The poetry began with writer, poet and disabled activist, Bethany Handley. Bethany campaigns for better access to nature for disabled people, and her work explores nature and disability, challenging the barriers that disabled people experience.
Bethany’s first poem was heartfelt and humorous about her experience of visiting a beach in her wheelchair. Her final poem also drew on her experiences, being a compilation poem of many well-intentioned, yet impractical or inappropriate, advice that she has received as a wheelchair user.
Owen Sheers is an award winning Welsh poet, author and playwright. He has twice won the Wales Book of the Year as well as the Hay Festival Poetry Medal.
His film-poem, the Green Hollow, about the Aberfan disaster, was BAFTA and Grierson nominated and won three BAFTA Cymru awards, including best writer.
Owen read an extract from the Green Hollow, bringing the horror of the disaster to life. He also read poems about parenthood and his experiences as a son and as a father.
The Poet Laureate, Simon Armitage, is the recipient of numerous prizes and awards, including the Queen’s Gold Medal for Poetry.
Simon launched into a poem about humanity, the universe and working as one. He then used his back catalogue of poems written for music. His poems covered some unusually random themes, particularly those he crafted during the Covid pandemic.
He said that he’d even written a poem inspired by a Velux window and read a beautiful poem about laying in a hammock watching a pair of newly-weds sail overhead in a hot air balloon.
His performances were engaging, humorous and moving and he brought the words to life.
Simon also spoke warmly about the importance of libraries as a child but also as an adult travelling about the country, with libraries always offering a warm welcome.
Ashok Ahir, President of the National Library of Wales thanked the three poets and introduced the new exhibition in the gallery, Dylan: The Lyrical Life of Dylan Thomas.
The exhibition is open to the public until 14th September 2024. Further information can be seen online.
The event drew to a close as Cllr Tudor issued the prizes to the winners of the recent poetry eisteddfod competition. The competition celebrated the language, culture, heritage and literature of Wales.
The theme was Dylan Thomas. Entries could draw inspiration from any of his works or seek inspiration from a specific quote: “from where you are, you can hear their dreams”.
Entries received were of a high standard and were judged by Wendy Morse (leader of the Haverfordwest Library Poetry Group, who would welcome new members, contact Haverfordwest Library for more information); representatives from the Library staff and the National Library of Wales staff. The poems will be on display at Haverfordwest Library until the end of the Easter Holidays.
Prizes have been awarded to:
• Sian Davies: Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, adult written poem category
• James Purchase: I Shall go Gentle into that Good Night, adult written poem category
• Philippa Davies: Dylan is in the Library, adult spoken word category
• Tony Potts: Windfall, adult illustrated poem category
• John Matthews: Dylan Cwmdonkin, adult Welsh language category
• Ellie McGrath: It was all a Dream, 11-14 age category
• Skye-Lea Jones: Are you Listening?,11-14 age category
Thanks to the judges of the poetry competition and to Faber & Faber, who donated the book prizes in support of the Poet Laureate’s Library Tour.
Cllr Thomas Tudor said: “The Riverside opened its doors in December 2018 and has enjoyed many fascinating exhibitions since thanks to the continued partnership with the National Library of Wales.
“The Riverside was one of just six libraries to host this Poet Laureate Library Tour for 2024.
“It is a fantastic achievement for Haverfordwest Library to be a part of these significant events, helping to raise the profile and regeneration of the County Town and I thank everyone who has worked hard to make the event a success.”
The event would not have been possible without the continued support from The National Library of Wales and Haverfordwest Town Council. The President of the National Library of Wales and the Mayor, Sheriff and Clerk of Haverfordwest Town Council were all present.
Charity
Bags of Books returns to Milford Haven and surrounding areas this Easter
THE INFAMOUS Bags of Books is set to return to Milford Haven and surrounding areas over the Easter holidays.
Milford Haven School who launched the project with Milford Youth Matters over 3 years ago are continuing in their bid to improve literacy skills and encourage a love of reading for pleasure by giving away over 700 books.
Thanks to funding from the South Hook LNG Community grant they have purchased books for young people of all ages and reading abilities and will be hanging them on the fences of the schools in their catchment area.
The community are invited to come and choose a book from the following locations over the Easter holidays:
- Neyland Community Primary School – Monday 25th March
- Johnston Community Primary School – Tuesday 26th March
- Coastlands Primary School – Wednesday 27th March
- Gelliswick Primary School – Tuesday 2nd April
- Milford Haven Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
- St Francis Community Primary – Wednesday 3rd April
Milford Haven Secondary School will also hang over 150 books on their fence after the Easter Holidays on Wednesday 10th April for those in our community who cannot attend the other locations.
-
Crime2 days ago
Letterston man pleads guilty to making extreme Cat A images of child
-
News2 days ago
Family heartbroken by loss of ‘larger than life character’ in M4 crash
-
News15 hours ago
Police ask motorists to avoid A44 trunk road due to heavy snowfall
-
Crime6 days ago
Haverfordwest parent found guilty of school attendance failings
-
Sport3 days ago
Rocky delivers knockout blow
-
Sport6 days ago
Can Galdo’s men regain form? Can Cosh do the great escape? Division Two Preview
-
Crime1 day ago
Woman will quit the booze after seeing shocking drunken video in court
-
Business3 days ago
Savers to close its Haverfordwest store in another blow to county town