Author: Rhys Gregory

South Wales Police are currently at the scene of a vehicle fire on the M4 between Junction 37 (Pyle) and Junction 36 (Sarn). Lanes one and two on the eastbound carriageway have been closed while emergency services deal with the incident. The closures are expected to remain in place for some time, and drivers are being urged to avoid the area and use alternative routes where possible. A spokesperson for South Wales Police said: “We’re grateful for the public’s patience while the incident is being dealt with.”

South West Wales Connected Community Rail Partnership (SWWC CRP) are delighted to be collaborating with Stena Line to host a heritage event celebrating the history of Fishguard Harbour railway and the port. The event which has been supported by Fishguard community run heritage centre ‘Ein Hanes – Our History’, will take place on the afternoon of Saturday 18 October at the Stena Line ferry terminal, bringing together local voices, stories and history to highlight the importance of the railway and port to the region. This event is part of the nationwide Railway 200 celebrations, marking 200 years of the modern…

Cardiff Council’s Cabinet has approved a comprehensive City Parking Plan, a 10-year strategy designed to tackle the city’s parking challenges, support sustainable travel, and improve quality of life for residents and visitors. The City Parking Plan is a cornerstone of Cardiff’s wider Transport Strategy, aiming to reduce congestion, improve air quality, and make the city’s streets safer and more accessible. Developed following extensive public consultation, the plan will introduce a new framework to manage parking across Cardiff, aligning the Welsh capital with best practices seen in other major UK cities. Key Features of the City Parking Plan Three Parking Management…

Parents/guardians of Year 6 pupils in Pembrokeshire are invited to apply for a secondary school place for September 2026 by the closing date of 21 December 2025. Applications received after this date will be considered late which may have a bearing on whether your child gets a place at their preferred school. There is no automatic admission to a secondary school (except for 3-16 schools – see below), even if you are living in catchment and/or your child attends a feeder school, an application must be made. It is important to note that a school place will not be allocated…

A Newport pilot area for a £500,000 fund that is targeted at tackling poverty related issues was formally approved by the cabinet this week. Since the council leader, Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, announced the No-One Left Behind Fund earlier this year, a working group has developed a framework to pilot the allocation of the fund. Councillor Jason Hughes, cabinet member for communities, and Councillor Mark Howells, leader of the Independent Group, have been pivotal in leading this work with senior officers. Having identified the most deprived areas of the city, a decision has been taken to focus on Tredegar Park (Duffryn)…

Blaenau Gwent Council is taking proactive steps to improve pupil wellbeing, behaviour, and learning outcomes by introducing consistent guidance on mobile phone and smart device usage in schools. The guidance, developed in consultation with schools and trade unions, will be shared with all schools and governing bodies and can be implemented after October half term 2025 at a time and pace set by individual settings. This move comes in response to growing evidence from the borough’s schools of the negative impact of mobile devices on classroom behaviour, social interaction, and focus. Research from, for example, UNESCO, Estyn, and the NEU…

A new £10.5m wheel lathe facility opening in Holyhead today will improve reliability for the rail network across Wales. The automatic lathe – an important maintenance tool that can repair worn or damaged wheels – is part of the Welsh Government’s Network North Wales initiative. Trains in North Wales will no longer need to travel to the existing lathe in Canton, Cardiff – meaning Transport for Wales’ entire fleet of trains will be maintained and serviced quicker. The project has been completed on time ahead of the busy autumn season, when falling leaves make well-maintained wheels even more important. Cabinet…

People with long-term alcohol problems are learning to prepare meals together – thanks to a new project that addresses the poor nutrition and social isolation often linked to alcohol misuse. Feeding Recovery is being delivered in Swansea and Cardiff, by Barod and the Nelson Trust, organisations who support the long term recovery of people affected by substance use, who are ready to make positive changes to their lives. At a visit to a project in Swansea, the Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Sarah Murphy, met people attending a cookery class and found out more about how the project is helping…

Thousands of primary school children across Cardiff and Penarth will be safer and more visible this autumn thanks to a major donation from a group of opticians. Five Specsavers stores located in Cardiff and Penarth have come together to invest £15,000 to donate 7,500 high-visibility vests to every pupil aged four to seven across the communities they serve. The initiative was launched in Victoria Primary School in Penarth, where pupils from reception, year one and year two were the first to receive their vests as part of the new Specsavers Sees Kids campaign. Over the coming weeks, teams from the opticians will visit…

Some of Cardiff’s best-known food and drink retailers are now using cutting edge technology. Curado Bar and Tiny Rebel are the latest businesses to benefit from the Welsh telco’s upgrade, joining anchor tenant Cardiff Arms Park on Ogi’s new full fibre spine running through the westgate entrance to Central Square. Backed by its privately-funded infrastructure rollout, Ogi’s expansion is helping put homegrown hospitality venues in the fast lane – giving them the bandwidth and reliability to power bookings, back-of-house systems, tills and provide secure guest wifi. Ben Potts, General Manager from Curado Bar, at the edge of the Castle Quarter,…