Author: Rhys Gregory

Transport for Wales (TfW) has made significant progress on its intensive eight-month programme to transform and electrify the Rhymney Valley railway line. The second six-week railway line closure will start on Saturday 19 July, with no rail services running between Caerphilly and Rhymney until 31 August. Since construction on the upper Rhymney line began in March 2025, teams have upgraded over 15 kilometres of railway track. A significant milestone was achieved in June when the last of the 693 planned foundations from Caerphilly to Rhymney was completed. These foundations will support the Overhead Line Equipment (OLE) that will power the…

The Vale of Glamorgan Council is considering a number of investment opportunities in Barry town centre as part of a plan to bring vacant buildings back into use. The Council has secured a low interest loan from Welsh Government to buy commercial properties and is now working to develop investment ideas that could support the forthcoming Barry Placemaking Plan. Cllr Lis Burnett, Leader of the Council, said: “We know how important our town centres are to residents. This is not just because of the economic benefits they bring to the Vale but also the sense of community and place that…

Asda Stores Ltd has been ordered to pay over £655,000 after pleading guilty to selling food past its use-by-date at two of its Cardiff branches. The case followed customer complaints, prompting officers from the Shared Regulatory Services (SRS) to carry out inspections at two Asda supermarkets in Cardiff on six separate occasions between January and June 2024. During these visits, more than 100 food items were discovered to be past their use-by-date and were subsequently removed from the shelves. The affected stores were located at Capital Retail Park, on Leckwith Road, and the Pentwyn Superstore, at Dering Road, Pontprennau. Some…

Traffic controls near a city centre shopping park in Swansea are being upgraded to help improve traffic flows. Swansea Council is due to replace ageing traffic signals at the entrance to Parc Tawe in the city centre as part of a £150,000 investment. The new equipment will feature the latest in Extra Low Voltage (ELV), energy-efficient traffic signal technology. The lights will also incorporate advanced vehicle detection systems and modern traffic monitoring CCTV, all designed to enhance traffic flow and improve overall network efficiency in the area. Work to replace the old traffic lights will start on Monday 14 July…

Neath Port Talbot Council has adopted its Corporate Strategy 2025/2028 outlining its commitment to creating a prosperous, fairer and greener local community. The council formally adopted the ambitious strategy at its meeting on July 9th, 2025. The strategy is based around on these four well-being objectives:  Ensuring all children get the best start in life.  Making sure all our communities are thriving and sustainable. Preservation and enrichment of our local environment, culture, and heritage, Providing our residents with access to high-quality green jobs. The Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Steve Hunt, said: “Our four well-being objectives remain at…

Members of the public are being asked to provide feedback on Council Tax premiums in Pembrokeshire. Pembrokeshire County Council is carrying out a consultation on the premiums that apply to second and long-term empty homes. The consultation seeks views on: Council Tax premiums for second homes for 2026-27 Council Tax premiums for long-term empty homes 2026-27 How any funding raised from the premiums in 2026-27 should be spent Whether Welsh Government should change the minimum number of days that a property must be let for in order to qualify for Non-Domestic Rate self-catering accommodation tax status and whether the Council…

The fantastic Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Penfro has been a big hit with pupils and staff since opening its doors in September 2024. And now the £13.9m school, the first in Pembrokeshire to be delivered meeting stringent Net Zero Carbon requirements, has claimed two top awards for the quality and value of its build. The school, constructed by Morgan Sindall Construction, has claimed the: Delivering Value Award at the Constructing Excellence in Wales Awards 2025. the Project of the year Award at the 2025 Welsh Government Education Buildings Awards. These awards celebrate excellence across the sector, recognising outstanding consultants, contractors, clients,…

Newport’s three biggest parks have all been recognised at this year’s Green Flag awards. Beechwood, Belle Vue and Tredegar parks have been awarded Green Flag status for 2025/26. This is the first year that Tredegar Park sport and recreation ground has been recognised with Green Flag status. The park has benefited from a number of improvements over the last few years, which have helped enhance the visitor experience. These include the refurbishment of the tennis courts, the opening of Splash ‘Port, refurbishment of the children’s play area, and a renovation of the central toilet and changing room block. For Newport’s…

A national assessment of all maternity and neonatal services in Wales will begin this month, the Health Secretary confirmed today (Tuesday 15 July), as the independent review into services at Swansea Bay University Health Board is published The all-Wales assurance assessment will be independently chaired and will take account of the findings of the recent reviews of maternity and neonatal services across the UK, including in Swansea Bay. It will also consider the family-led report into maternity services at Swansea Bay, which was published on Monday, and align to the England-wide review. Health Secretary Jeremy Miles has decided Swansea Bay…

A Bill that provides a ‘crucial step forward’ in protecting Welsh communities from disused tips, both coal and non-coal, has today been passed by the Senedd. The Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Bill, the first legislation of its kind in the UK, will create the Disused Tips Authority for Wales to address safety risks posed by Wales’s industrial past. The new Authority will become a Welsh Government sponsored body with powers to: Ensure disused coal and non-coal tips no longer pose a threat to communities through instability Establish a comprehensive system for assessment, registration, monitoring and management of all…