RESIDENTS’ concerns over speeding and anti-social driving have prompted planned enforcement action in the Newport and Dinas areas.

Dyfed-Powys Police Roads Policing Unit and the GoSafe enforcement van are expected to carry out speed checks over the coming month following complaints raised with county councillor Huw Murphy, Newport Town Council and Dinas Community Council.

The operation is aimed at deterring motorists from excessive speed and anti-social driving, as well as taking enforcement action where offences are detected.

Drivers caught exceeding the speed limit could face sanctions ranging from a warning to a court summons, depending on the seriousness of the offence. More serious breaches of road traffic law can result in substantial fines and possible disqualification.

Police have not released specific dates or locations for the enforcement activity.

Cllr Murphy told The Herald that motorists who drive within the law have nothing to fear.

Most police vehicles are now fitted with Automatic Number Plate Recognition technology, increasing the likelihood of detecting vehicles being driven without valid insurance, MOT or vehicle excise licence.

Speeding remains one of the “Fatal Five” factors linked to serious injury and fatal collisions on UK roads. The others are careless driving, drink or drug driving, not wearing a seatbelt, and using a mobile phone while driving.

Cllr Murphy said: “Residents have raised concerns regarding excess speed and anti-social driving, and I am grateful to Dyfed-Powys Police and GoSafe for responding to these concerns.

“The aim of this enforcement activity is to improve road safety for everyone and to encourage motorists to drive responsibly and within the speed limits.

“If they do not, and are caught, then they will have to face the consequences.”

A CALL has been lodged for the contentious DARC ‘space radar’ scheme in Pembrokeshire to be decided by Welsh Government rather than county planners.

In an application recently submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council following a public consultation, the Ministry of Defence wants to install 27 radar antenna and a long list of associated works at Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy for a worldwide network of sensors called the Deep Space Advanced Radar Concept (DARC) to track active satellites and other objects which would utilise three sites worldwide, part of the AUKUS trilateral security partnership, in the USA, the UK and Australia “enabling 360-degree coverage of the sky at all times of day and under any weather conditions”.

In late 2023, Cawdor Barracks was identified as the preferred UK site by the-then UK Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps.

A supporting statement says of the DARC scheme: “This capability is critical to protect and defend the services provided by satellites, ensuring continuity and resilience against collisions or debris-related incidents.

“Without DARC, the UK faces a significant risk of losing access to these vital services, which would have severe consequences for national security, economic stability, and public safety.”

It says the scheme would create 90 full time equivalent construction jobs, and, when operational, will result in the creation of 60 full time equivalent jobs including operation, maintenance and security staff.

St Davids City Council members recently unanimously opposed the pre-application consultation proposals, and public objectors have raised concerns with protests recently taking place outside the barracks and County Hall, Haverfordwest, and former First Minister Eluned Morgan called for the scheme to be put on hold while Donald Trump is President of the USA.

Campaign group PARC against DARC, set up in 2024 to oppose scheme, has submitted an official request to ‘call in’ the application for DARC radar to the newly formed Plaid Cymru Welsh government, citing what it describes as “an extremely promising step forward for the campaign with an anti-DARC Plaid Cymru government now elected in the Senedd”.

A ‘call-in’ means the application could be decided at Welsh Government level rather than by county planners.

Campaigners argue that DARC should be called in to Welsh Government on the basis that it is “clearly a nationally significant development that lies well outside of the scope for consideration of Pembrokeshire County Council alone,” urging that it is called in so that a “fair and appropriate consideration of the suitability of a development that is so widely opposed can be placed within the context of the national priorities of Wales going forward”.

Plaid Cymru voted at their national conference in October 2024 to take action to oppose the project.

Anyone wishing to comment on the application before the county council has until May 20.

Pembrokeshire-based Jerome Flynn, who was first famous for his roles in Soldier Soldier, Robson & Jerome and more recently Game Of Thrones has  described the scheme as “the most unspeakably abominable planning application led by the US military, backed by Donald Trump to place 27 radar dishes right on the edge of our beloved coastal national park”.

THE DUTY of care for Pembrokeshire councillors and would-be if they are subject to “the cesspit of social media” online abuse needs to be more robust, members heard.

The issue was raised when members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s May full council discussed an action plan aimed at supporting greater diversity within the council.

Speaking at the meeting, recently-elected Fishguard North councillor Billy Shaw raised the issue of social media and councillors receiving abuse, saying: “One area that puts people off is social and the amount of abuse on it.

“I’ve been subject to that recently, with a number of pictures of me sitting having a coffee in Fishguard.

“As soon as you put yourself forward social media becomes a cesspit because your political view do not match someone who’s quite vocal on social media.

“I was wondering if there’s  there any way of putting protections for anyone who wants to put their name forward [to be a councillor]?

“I do know there’s a number of councillors sitting here who’ve been subject to the cesspit that is social media of late.”

Cllr Alistair Cameron shared Cllr Shaw’s concerns, saying: “I agree with Cllr Shaw, social media is a real issue; as a council we’ve got a duty to support people standing for council.”

Cllr Neil Prior said the duty of care for councillors “feels quite woolly,” adding: “You are absolutely in the front line, you can be in any situation in your community and be subject to a lot of difficult situations; I don’t think the council has a particularly strong duty of care for councillors.”

Another who raised the issue, was Haverfordwest’s Cllr Tom Tudor, who said it had been brought to his attention recently that he had been attacked on social media by an unnamed sitting member of the county council.

Cllr Shaw’s highlighting of abuse suffered by councillors followed “a petty and vindictive attempt” to land him in trouble with the Ombudsman, the abuse referenced in the meeting including claims of posts on social media and verbal abuse.

Last month, it was stated no Ombudsman investigation was to take place into Cllr Shaw following a “waste of taxpayers’ money” complaint of a claimed breach of the code of conduct.

William Cuthbert Linton Shaw, commonly known as Billy Shaw, won the Fishguard North-East ward seat for Plaid Cymru – The Party of Wales in February following a byelection called after the death of Cllr Jordan Ryan last November.

The complaint, a claimed breach of the Code of Conduct, was made following his first, March, full council meeting when he stood for a picture outside County Hall with campaign group Solidarity with Palestine, who were there for an agenda item on ‘Disinvestment in Companies profiting from Genocide’.

Cllr Shaw has previously said there were two lessons following the unsuccessful complaint: “It was a waste of the Ombudsman’s time, as it was a petty and vindictive attempt by this individual who has a long history of trolling anyone especially those in public office with a left-wing viewpoint.”