News
New 20mph speed limit: Safety improvement or economic setback?
STARTING September 17, the Welsh Government’s broad 20-mph speed restriction will replace the current 30-mph norm in urban areas. Designed to boost road safety, the decision is a double-edged sword, balancing between reduced casualties and potentially significant financial and operational ramifications.
Professor Stuart Cole, CBE, Emeritus Professor of Transport Economics and Policy, University of South Wales, has explained his several concerns, set out below, regards the new legislation.
Operational Challenges & Financial Strains
Bread’s morning delivery offers a window into potential hiccups. Timed for 30-mph speeds, reduced speed limits can lower van productivity, possibly raising prices for end consumers. Urban bus passengers, too, are bracing for longer commutes. The need for extra vehicles, more driver shifts, and anticipated increased hourly rates for drivers paint a challenging financial picture for bus companies.
The modern bus, optimized for speeds of 30-mph or 40-mph, now faces a disruptive 20-mph mandate. This shift could necessitate overriding automatic gearing systems, potentially undermining safety objectives and leading to higher maintenance expenses.
A Conservative Perspective
In the backdrop of these insights, Natasha Asghar MS, the Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Transport, voiced her concerns. She remarked, “The observations by Professor Stuart Cole underscore a significant oversight by the Labour Government.“
“For over a year, I’ve highlighted potential drawbacks — from slower emergency response times to increased delivery durations, and even the likelihood of bus route adjustments. As we near this policy’s roll-out, these unforeseen consequences, combined with a £4.5 billion expenditure by Labour, paints a worrying picture for the Welsh economy,” Natasha expressed.
Seeking Solutions
The 20-mph limit aims to tilt preference scales from cars to buses. To truly succeed, bus priority schemes on congested routes, like Cardiff’s Castle street and Swansea’s Kingsway, could be vital. But with electric buses demanding almost triple the price of conventional ones, financial challenges loom large.
In this scenario, bus companies, looking at a requisite profit margin of 10% on local tenders, are hesitant to invest significantly, especially with the fiscal support measures like the Welsh Government’s Bus Transition Fund set to end by March 2024.
Conclusion: Striking A Balance
With potential bus service reductions, especially in rural Wales, stagnant passenger numbers, and escalating costs, the bus sector faces a challenging trifecta.
While the Welsh Government’s intentions echo safety and environmental concerns, perhaps a staggered approach could have been more judicious. Considering a rollout in high-casualty zones, introducing supportive bus priority measures, and delaying the scheme’s onset until the bus industry finds firmer financial footing might have catered to all stakeholders more effectively.
Community
Officials announced for 2026 Eisteddfod in Pembrokeshire
THE NATIONAL EISTEDDFOD returns to Pembrokeshire in 2026, and organisers have named the officials who will steer this major cultural event over the next year and a half.
With the artistic and local committees already established, meetings to finalise competitions and adjudicators are underway to ensure the List of Competitions is ready by spring. Committee members have also been voting over the past weeks to elect key officials for the Executive Committee.
John Davies, former leader of Pembrokeshire County Council, has been appointed Chair of the Executive Committee. Known for his deep connection to Pembrokeshire and extensive experience with national organisations, Davies aims to make the Eisteddfod a true community event, welcoming involvement from all corners of the region.
Tegryn Jones, Chief Executive of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, takes on the role of Deputy Chair (Strategy). With a strong passion for Welsh culture and language, Jones brings a wealth of experience working with local communities, visitors, and volunteers across three counties.
Deputy Chair (Culture) is Carys Ifan, Director of Canolfan Egin and a seasoned cultural organiser. Based in Llangrannog and originally from Llandudoch, Ifan has led numerous artistic and community projects across the region.
Cris Tomos, a community development veteran with over 30 years of experience, will lead the 2026 Eisteddfod Local Fund. Working with PLANED, a community development charity, Tomos has supported countless community enterprises and co-operatives in Pembrokeshire, Ceredigion, and Carmarthenshire.
Non Davies, recently elected as Executive Committee Secretary, brings extensive cultural management expertise as Ceredigion County Council’s Corporate Manager for Culture. Having chaired the Cardigan Local Fund Committee for the 2022 Ceredigion Eisteddfod, Davies is well-versed in managing cultural projects.
National Eisteddfod Chief Executive, Betsan Moses, said: “We’re looking forward to working with John and the team over the next few months as we prepare for the 2026 Eisteddfod.
“There’s almost a quarter of a century since the Eisteddfod was last held in Pembrokeshire, and we’re very much looking forward to returning to the area. 2026 is an important year for us as we celebrate 850 years since the first Eisteddfod was held in Cardigan Castle in 1176.
“We’re looking forward to working in a new way within a catchment area which includes parts of another two counties, which is, of course, a chance to work with local people in Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire again.”
Further announcements are expected in the coming weeks, including the sale of competition prizes and opportunities to donate the Crown and the Chair.
The National Eisteddfod will be held in Llantood from August 1–8, 2026.
News
Campaigners urge Welsh Government to adopt proportional representation for Local Elections
CAMPAIGNERS are calling on the Welsh Government to introduce the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system for local elections, following moves by two councils to shift away from the First Past the Post (FPTP) system being blocked on technical grounds.
Yesterday (Nov 14), Ceredigion Council voted narrowly, with an 18 to 17 majority, in favor of adopting STV. This follows Gwynedd Council’s decision last month, where 65% of councillors backed the move. However, both councils have been prevented from implementing STV due to a requirement for a two-thirds majority under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021.
In recent consultations, public support for STV has been overwhelming, with over 70% in Gwynedd and 67% in Ceredigion favoring the change. Only Powys Council rejected the proposal, despite 60.5% of its respondents supporting STV. Campaigners argue that the current system deprives voters of representation, citing that over 100,000 people were denied a vote in the 2022 elections due to uncontested seats.
The Electoral Reform Society Cymru (ERS Cymru) highlights the contrast with Scotland, where the introduction of STV for local elections in 2007 has significantly reduced uncontested seats. According to ERS Cymru, Scotland has had fewer uncontested seats in the last four elections combined than Gwynedd Council recorded alone in 2022.
Jess Blair, Director of ERS Cymru, said:
“Decisions made in council chambers affect everyone in those areas, so every vote should count. It’s absurd that councils choosing STV are blocked by a technicality, leaving them stuck with an outdated system that denies representation to thousands. The Welsh Government must act to avoid repeating the undemocratic outcomes of the last elections.”
Campaigners are now calling on the Welsh Government to introduce STV across all councils in Wales, ensuring representation that reflects the electorate’s wishes.
Business
Upgrades completed at Port of Milford Haven’s simulator suite
UPGRADES have been completed to state-of-the-art equipment within the Port of Milford Haven’s navigation simulator suite at Milford Waterfront enabling marine professionals to receive bespoke specialist training. The virtual reality simulation system can safely replicate a range of scenarios that seafarers may experience in real world situations such as extreme weather conditions, emergency situations and escort tug work.
The upgrades provided by Netherlands-based company MARIN contain the latest hardware in terms of processing power and graphics, as well as upgrades to MARIN’s ‘Dolphin’ software, increasing the capability to create scenarios. These are complemented with new 4k visuals on 75” screens which increase the depth and field of vision, adding to the realism.
Recently, a training day was led by Training Pilot Captain Mark Johnson, assisted by ex-Pilot Andy Hillier, involving members of the Svitzer team as well as Pilots Matt Roberts and Ian Coombes. As part of the scenario, they were faced with a loss of engine power and steering along with worsening weather and sea conditions. The Pilots had to communicate with Svitzer in order to successfully instruct them on how to tow and direct a drifting tanker. While scenarios like these are uncommon within port operations, it is important to rehearse procedures that would be implemented if they are required and enhances participants’ skill sets.
Marine Pilot and Simulator Instructor, Captain Ewan McNicoll, said “This simulator suite has future proofed our training capabilities, both internally for Pilots and marine staff, but also externally for clients wishing to use the facility, be it for training purposes or research and development. We can create any type of scenario with any type of ship, ranging from practicing ship handling manoeuvres to emergency situations, it really is game changing! Working with our partners at MARIN has been a complete success and I am very proud of our new facility.”
For more information about training at the navigation simulation suite please contact the Port of Milford Haven at [email protected] or 01646 696100.
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