News

Fears bus network could drop by a quarter

Published

10 years ago

December 5, 2013

MANAGERS claim the Welsh bus network could reduce by a quarter in the next few months, with deprived and rural communities hardest hit.

Councils are already warning they have no money to rescue services which bus operators will halt if the Welsh Government goes ahead with a planned 37% cut in its payments for each passenger carried under the free travel scheme.

Swansea-based First Cymru, one of Wales’ biggest bus operators, said it would have to look at reducing its services by 25% to 30% if the Welsh Government decides to reduce the concessionary reimbursement from 73.59% of the average fare to just 46% from April 1.

The proposed cut follows a 25% drop in grants to bus operators and councils over the last two years, resulting in First Cymru reducing many services in the greater Swansea area.Stagecoach South Wales – the main operator in the deprived Heads of the Valleys region – said the company had applied the future 46% reimbursement rate to its costing model.

“The end result would be that we would be operating 25% less on commercial routes from the end of March than we are currently doing,” said managing director John Gould.

Commercial routes are ones which operate without subsidy, other than a long-standing partial rebate on fuel duty. Stagecoach also operates many services on behalf of councils, for prices which presumed continuation of the reimbursement rate which has always applied since the free travel scheme began in 2002.

“As far as tendered services go, that’s subject to us going to each local authority and negotiating with them,” said Mr Gould.

Legal challenges to the cut are likely, because the law requires the government to reimburse operators by an amount that leaves them no better or worse off than they would be if the scheme did not exist.

However, the Welsh Government did not mention the 37% cut to operators until October, more than six months after the bus industry asked to start negotiations over the scheme’s future. That now leaves too little time for legal challenges to be resolved before the deadline when bus companies must notify the Traffic Commissioner and local authorities of the service cuts they will make by 1 April.

A Welsh Government spokesman said:

“We are currently in negotiation with bus operators and local authorities on the terms for concessionary bus travel reimbursement for 2014-15. No decisions have yet been taken.”

First Cymru’s main services in south Pembrokeshire – linking Haverfordwest to Milford Haven and Tenby – are now in the firing line, because high proportions of the passengers are pensioners on free passes. This means the 37% cut in reimbursement would tip those services into the red.

“Many of the places that have a problem are going to be the more remote communities and more deprived communities,” said Justin Davies, managing director of First Cymru.

“That just seems weird to me. I wouldn’t have thought that’s what the Welsh Government wants.

“We will be handing back tendered services to local authorities, because when we bid we took the revenue risk. The pensioner will still be turning up at the side of the road but they will be worth a lot less in reimbursement. We will say to the local authorities, ‘We can’t do this any more’ but they’re already reducing services anyway.”

The Association of Transport Coordinating Officers Cymru, representing council officers, warned that town halls were unlikely to increase bus spending.

Business

Expansion for Ashmole & Co with acquisition of Jones Ward Accountants

Published

9 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

CHARTERED, Certified Accountants, Ashmole & Co, are delighted to announce their expansion following the acquisition of JonesWard accountancy firm in Carmarthen.

Ashmole & Co Carmarthen has today taken over JonesWard who have closed their office in Lammas Street, Carmarthen. All JonesWard staff, including Ian Jones and James Ward, have transferred over to Ashmole & Co and will be based in the Old School, the Quay, Carmarthen.

JonesWard informed their clients that the administrative burden of running a practice had increased significantly over recent years due to the constant changing money laundering and tax regulations, software requirements and so on. Over the past 12 months it had become more challenging to maintain the level of service they had been used to providing.

Ian Jones said, “We feel Ashmole & Co share the same values as us and have the necessary expertise and resources to ensure we can continue to provide the personal touch and level of service clients have been accustomed to. Myself and James are not retiring but we will be supported by Ashmole & Co’s partners and staff from now on in their Carmarthen office.”

Ashmole & Co partners Sharon George, Carwyn Morgan and Vinal Patel will strive to ensure JonesWard clients will continue to receive the high quality of service they are used to.

Vinal Patel, Partner with Ashmole & Co said, “It is our priority to make the transition as smooth as possible with all employees of JonesWard having already transferred to Ashmole & Co and are now based in our office on the Quay in Carmarthen. We look forward to meeting our new clients and working closely with them to meet their needs in the future.”

Ashmole & Co Chartered and Certified Accountants have been established since 1897 and are one of the largest accountancies and auditing practices in south Wales, now operating from thirteen offices throughout south and west Wales including Swansea, Carmarthen, Haverfordwest and Ammanford.

Charity

Fundraiser to take on epic 87k steps challenge to raise funds for Withybush

Published

9 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

SAM Faulkner is challenging himself to walk 87,000 steps in one day to raise funds for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in memory of his father.

Sam will be walking along the Brecon and Monmouth Canal from Brecon to Rogerstone in Newport.

Sam said: “Since losing my Dad last year, I made a personal commitment to do something to raise money every year for the Cardiac Care Unit at Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest who looked after my Dad so well in his final days.

“I will be challenging myself to complete 87,000 steps in a day on July 20th 2024 – 1,000 steps for every year of my Dad’s life. I’ll be walking around 40 miles in about 10 hours.

“Canal walks were always a firm favourite of mine and my Dad’s, with many days spent walking along the Grand Union in Northamptonshire when I was growing up.

“My family and I, and the unit at the hospital, would be beyond grateful for anything supporters could give. Thank you ever so much in advance.”

Katie Hancock, Pembrokeshire Fundraising Officer, said: “We’d like to say a huge good luck to Sam with his challenge. Thank you so much for dedicating your time to raise more funds for the Cardiac Care Unit.

“The support of our local communities enables us to provide services over and above what the NHS can provide in the three counties of Hywel Dda and we are extremely grateful for every donation we receive.”

You can donate to Sam’s fundraiser here: https://www.justgiving.com/page/sam-faulkner-1712508280259?newPage=true&fbclid=IwAR2tyVVQVea0DLQelSsrp7Ie2CKjX0jXGnwndR_tBKL-Av2kv8f5nchEolw

For more details about the charity and how you can help support local NHS patients and staff, go to www.hywelddahealthcharities.org.uk

Business

Dragon LNG explores integration of LNG and CO2 liquefaction processes

Published

9 hours ago

May 5, 2024

Tom Sinclair

DRAGON LNG, based in Waterston, Milford Haven, recently announced a significant step towards sustainable energy solutions.

The company awarded a contract to Worley, global professional services company of energy, chemicals and resources experts, to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study.

The study is focussing on exploring the potential benefits of integrating LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas)
regasification and CO2 (Carbon Dioxide) liquefaction processes at Dragon LNG’s facilities. This integration holds promise for a more efficient operation, with the potential to reduce energy consumption, carbon intensity and the levelized cost of CO2 export not only at the Dragon site but also for Haven industry companies.

If feasible, the technology at Dragon would support wider collaboration with RWE Pembroke Net Zero Centre, whose CO2 would be transported to the Dragon facility for processing before being shipped via non-pipeline transport (NPT) to carbon sequestration sites.

Key aspects to be addressed in the feasibility study include:

Technical Solutions: Worley will evaluate various technical approaches to seamlessly integrate LNG and
CO2 liquefaction processes, ensuring optimal energy efficiency and effectiveness.
Carbon Intensity Reduction: Dragon LNG is committed to sustainability, and the study will assess how the integration of processes can contribute to lowering the carbon intensity of operations, aligning with broader environmental goals.
Economic Viability: Understanding the financial implications is crucial. The study will delve into the levelized cost of CO2 and other economic factors to determine the feasibility and financial benefits of the proposed integration.

Commenting on the partnership, a spokesperson for Dragon LNG stated, “We are excited to collaborate with Worley on this important initiative. As a responsible energy provider, Dragon LNG is continuously seeking innovative ways to enhance our operations while minimizing our environmental footprint. This feasibility study represents a significant step towards achieving those objectives.”

Worley’s expertise in engineering and consultancy services including in the CO2 and LNG sectors makes them an ideal partner for this endeavour. Their track record of delivering sustainability solutions aligns perfectly with the ambitious goals of Dragon LNG.

This collaboration underscores Dragon LNG’s commitment to driving sustainable practices within the energy sector. By exploring the integration of LNG regasification and CO2 liquefaction processes, the company aims to pave the way for a cleaner, more efficient energy future with their ambition of a net zero terminal by 2029.