Road safety concern at Merthyr children's centre

More than 40,000 children are killed or injured each year as result of road accidents. Most of these accidents happen near homes and many as a result of school gate parking or parking illegally where large numbers of children gather.

Concern was raised recently due to the increased volume of traffic surrounding the ICC, a high number of cars parked on yellow lines and non-permit holders parking in disabled bays, so with this in mind staff at Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council’s Cwm Golau Integrated Children’s Centre (ICC), Pentrebach decided to pilot a road safety campaign during November as part of the National Road Safety Awareness month.

The idea of the scheme was to highlight the dangers of parking dangerously and to raise awareness of road safety to parents/carers and centre users.

Staff wore high visible jackets and issued letters and road safety leaflets to all users encouraging them to be more aware of road safety. All persons found parking in non-designated areas were asked to move immediately.

Councillor Richard Thomas said: "I fully support the efforts of staff at Cwm Golau ICC in raising the profile of road safety. The safety of children and Centre users is of paramount importance to us, particularly in light of a recent accident in the Borough involving a child."

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Bilingual car sharing scheme launches

The Deputy First Minister and Minister for the Economy and Transport, Ieuan Wyn Jones launched the new North Wales Car Share Scheme Northwalescarshare.com. or Taith.

The scheme is a major new web-based car-share service for the people of North Wales aimed at reducing the number of car journeys and protecting the environment. It will complete the Regional Transport Consortia’s branded schemes that are part of Liftshare Network.

This free-to-use, fully bilingual service will appeal to anyone who has to make a journey on north Wales roads, whether for commuting, the school run or the weekly shopping trip and wants to reduce the number of journeys they make by car. As well as reducing travel costs, the scheme has been designed to encourage more efficient use of the car, thereby reducing congestion and pollution across North Wales.

Northwalescarshare.com also links into the three other Welsh car-share schemes in SWWITCH TraCC and Sewta and offers people the chance to car share on longer journeys across Wales.

To register with the scheme simply log on to the website, Northwalescarshare.com, and register your details. Once your journey details have been entered the system then matches you with people making similar journeys and you can then decide who you would like to share with.

Ron Davies, the Chair of Taith said:

"Car-sharing works whether you have a car or not, Sharers who own a car can take turns driving, while those without a car can simply contribute to the driver’s expenses.

Wales is the first country to provide all its citizens with access to a bilingual, public on-line car-share system and I am confident Northwalescarshare.com will help many thousands of people across Wales save money, reduce pollution and congestion, improve mobility and enjoy more sociable journeys."

In launching the scheme the Deputy First Minister said:

"The Welsh Assembly Government is delighted to have played a key role in this great advance for sustainable travel in Wales. I am keen that we promote a wide range of measures and solutions to encourage smarter choices and more sustainable travel choices. Car-sharing is one of the greenest forms of travel and contributes towards reducing single occupancy car travel and congestion particularly during peak periods. As well as being fun and potentially saving members many hundreds of pounds a year, we hope it will encourage even more people to give it a go."

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'For their sake' drive carefully call to parents in Swansea

Motorists are being targeted in a new safe driving campaign aimed at getting parents to drive more safely and set a good example to their children.

The 'For their sake' campaign includes posters which have gone up on the back of buses in Swansea and at bus shelters across the city highlighting bad habits committed by thousands of drivers every day.

Acts such as speeding, texting at the wheel and not wearing a seatbelt are still common factors with drivers even though they are all illegal.

Swansea Council's Road Safety Team is hoping to reinforce the safety messages to motorists by highlighting the fact that often children sat in vehicles are watching what their parents are doing and are likely to copy them later in life.

Jeff Green, County Road Safety Officer in Swansea Council said, "Children sat in the rear of vehicles can easily see what is going on when parents are at the wheel. If they can see that the parents are speeding, texting or not even wearing a seatbelt, they may think its ok.

"Hopefully the 'For their sake' campaign will strike a chord with parents and make them more aware that their children pay attention to what they do and that they need to set a good example behind the wheel."

Backing the campaign, South Wales Police Road Safety Manager Wayne Tucker said, "It is clear that some people are still ignoring the fact that not wearing a seatbelt, driving while using a mobile or speeding could kill you.

"We are committed to reducing deaths on our roads and would urge everyone to drive responsibly and it is vital that parents set a good example."

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Collision in Amlwch

Two people have been taken to hospital following a road traffic collision in Amlwch this morning.

Shortly after 10:30am North Wales Police received a report of a single-vehicle collision on Lon Goch.

An ambulance was called and an elderly woman has been taken to hospital with what is believed to be minor injuries and an elderly man was airlifted by the Air Ambulance.

Both were taken to Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor.

The man who was airlifted to hospital following the single-vehicle collision remains in hospital but his condition has improved. His injuries are now being described as minor.

Police are appealing to anyone who may have been travelling along that particular stretch of road and who witnessed the collision, to contact officers at the Western Roads Policing Unit on 101, or 0845 607 1001 (Welsh line) or 0845 607 1002 (English line).

The road remains closed at this time but it is expected to re-open within the next hour.

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AM raises West Wales train pain

Rail services in west Wales will be in the spotlight next week when Preseli Pembrokeshire AM Paul Davies leads a debate on the subject in the Senedd.

Mr Davies won the ballot to choose a subject for a short debate and he’s elected to highlight the short comings in rail services to west Wales.

"This has been a subject close to my heart for some time," said Mr Davies.

"I have been lobbying for extra services to Fishguard for years now and I’ll be taking a more detailed look at trains and stations in the whole of Pembrokeshire.

“I’ll be calling for Goodwick station to be reopened and will mention the 1,000-signature petition that two Moylegrove teenagers collected calling for more trains to Fishguard and which I handed to the Welsh Assembly’s petition committee last week.

“I know that there are also concerns about the appearance of Whitland station which is a gateway to Pembrokeshire, the run-down state of Tenby station which is used by thousands of tourists every year and access problems at Saundersfoot station.

"We also need a late train to meet the Pembroke Dock ferry. Integration between public transport will be one of the key themes of my speech."

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Latest on flooding around Conwy

Conwy council's latest bulletin on flooding in the area is that the A470 is also now passable with care but the B5106 remains closed.

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National praise for city transport scheme

Bus passengers in Swansea could be getting one of the best services in the UK, according to UK transport officials.

The Landore Express Bus Route developed by Swansea Council and First's ftr Metro were runners-up in the Transport Infrastructure category at the annual UK Bus Awards.

They were selected from a record 210 entries from around the country and received their prizes before 650 industry professionals at a glittering ceremony at London's Hilton Hotel.

The UK Bus Awards Scheme is designed to recognise and reward excellence and good practice in a wide range of disciplines associated with the operation, design and promotion of bus services.

John Hague, Cabinet Member for the Environment in Swansea Council, said: "These awards are recognition that we are moving in the right direction in terms of improving public transport in Swansea.

"With assistance from the Welsh Assembly Transport Grant we have been able to work alongside transport operators in the city to introduce innovative public transport services that help us achieve our long term aims for a sustainable integrated transport system."

A spokesperson for First Cymru said: "First Cymru is delighted that the ftr Metro project has been recognised at the UK Bus Awards.

"The award recognises all the hard work and partnership working with Swansea Council that got this project off the ground."

UK Bus Awards chairman John Owen said he was delighted not only with the record breaking number of entries for 2009 but also the quality of those entries.

Mr Owen said: "Not only have we received a record 210 entries across the categories this year but we're also hugely impressed by the standards of all of the entries because they gave the judges a difficult time. It is thrilling to see such enthusiasm for the awards, particularly against such a harsh economic backdrop."

Visit www.ukbusawards.org.uk for more information about all the winners and runners-up at the 2009 UK Bus Awards.

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Glynllifon Road Safety Day

Students have been given an insight into road safety matters in a bid to change their attitudes and behaviour.

A Road Safety event was held on Tuesday (17 November) at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor in Glynllifon.

Over 200 students attended the day which included presentations and exhibitions from North Wales Police, the Welsh Ambulance Service, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Gwynedd Council, Go Safe (Arrive Alive) and Bikesafe.

Organised and facilitated by the college and Sergeant Emlyn Hughes from the Western Roads Policing Unit, the purpose of the event was to highlight the risks and dangers posed to young drivers, who are one of the most vulnerable group of drivers.

Sgt Hughes said: “We hope the event has encouraged young people to exercise greater responsibility for themselves, peers and other road users whilst driving.

“By working in partnership with other agencies, we want to get across to young drivers messages such as the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt, driving too fast and using mobile phones.

“The attendance was fantastic and the students showed a great interest in some of the sessions we provided – including a demonstration by the Fire and Rescue Service.”

During the day inputs were given by Paramedic Dermot O’Leary from the Welsh Ambulance Service and Gwynedd Council’s Road Safety Manager, Colin Jones who gave a presentation on Green Road Technology which aims to improve driving standards.

Colin Jones, Gwynedd Council’s Road Safety Manager added: “Gwynedd Council, the police and other emergency services are crucial partners in delivering road safety interventions such as the one held at Coleg Glynllifon.

“It is a sad fact that the younger adult age groups are disproportionately likely to die on the roads, with the 16 – 29 age group accounting for over a third of all deaths. Road collisions account for around 30% of all deaths of 15 – 19-year-old and around 17% of all deaths of 20 – 29 year-olds.”

Welsh Ambulance Service Paramedic Dermot O’ Leary said: “I wholeheartedly endorse the efforts of all agencies that have been here today. Any opportunity in communicating with young people such as this is a plus.”

The students were also given an opportunity to see the equipment used by Paramedics in the event of a collision and talk to PC Gerallt Davies from the Collision Investigation Unit.

One of the students who thought the day was very worthwhile was 22-year-old Llion Jones. He said: “I’ve learned stuff today that you don’t learn after you’ve passed your driving test. The day has been really interesting.”

Site Director Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, Eurwyn Edwards said: “This has been an extremely important event to highlight the potential dangers and risks to young drivers.

“We’ve had similar events in the past which have been on a smaller-scale and I would like to thank Rhiannon Hulse from the college who has assisted with organising the day.

He added: “The practical demonstrations of realistic events has hopefully brought home some of the realities and hopefully, many of the young people have taken this on board.”

Photograph: PC Gerallt Davies from the Collision Investigation Unit talking to some of the students.

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Station car park closure

The car park at Pengam railway station will be closed to the public on Sunday 22nd November to enable drainage works to be carried out at the site.

The works form part of site investigations in advance of a major scheme to create a new Park and Ride facility at the station next year. The development will see the car park expand to include around 170 parking spaces.

The scheme is a partnership between Caerphilly county borough council and Sewta, with funding from the European Regional Development Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government.

Alternative Park and Ride facilities are available at Bargoed, Ystrad Mynach and Caerphilly during the closure on 22nd November.

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Free parking for Christmas in Denbighshire

A number of Denbighshire towns will have free parking on certain days in the run up to Christmas, thanks to an arrangement between Denbighshire County Council and town councils.

The council has given town councils five free days parking a year, to be used at the discretion of town councils and some have decided to use some of their allocation in the run - up to Christmas.

Here are the dates:
Rhyl - Thursday, November 19, and between Monday, December 21 and Thursday, December 24.
Denbigh - Friday, November 27
Llangollen - Saturday, November 28
Prestatyn - Thursday, December 3
Ruthin - Saturday, December 5 and Saturday, December 12

Some towns across Denbighshire have already used their allocation to coincide with local community events.

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Travel advice for Argentina game

Wales entertain Argentina on Saturday, November 21 in the third of four Autumn International Rugby Tests.

So, with more than 60,000 people expected at the Millennium Stadium for a 2.30pm kick-off and widening works on the M4, Cardiff Council are advising people to plan ahead and use public transport and park and rides if at all possible.

Here's the info.

The park and ride site at the Cardiff City stadium at Leckwith (YELLOW CAR PARK) can be accessed from J33 of the M4. The car park opens at 9.30am, with the first bus at 9.30am. The last bus will leave the pick-up points at 6pm, the car park closes at 6.30pm.

The drop off point for Leckwith is on Tresillian Way north at the rear of the railway station. Pick-up after the game is at Callaghan Square north in the lay-by next to Eversheds and Tresillian Way north, at rear of railway station.

It's £5 per car including the bus. There is full disabled access.

Coach parking is off Sophia Close at £5 per coach.

The following roads will be closed from 1pm - 6pm.

Kingsway from its junction with North Road / Boulevard de Nantes to its junction with Duke Street.
Cowbridge Road East from its junction with Cathedral Road to its junction with Westgate Street.
Tudor Street from its junction with Clare Road to its junction with Wood Street (access for residents and traders)
Plantagenet Street and Beauchamp Street from their junctions with Despenser Place to their junctions with Tudor Street (access for residents and traders)

The following roads will be closed in their entirety - Duke Street, Castle Street, High Street, St.Mary Street, Caroline Street, Wood Street, Central Square, Westgate Street, Quay Street, Guildhall Place, Golate, Park Street, Havelock Street and Scott Road.

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Tenby Seize Vehicle Used for Anti-social Behaviour

A motorist has had their vehicle seized in Tenby after being warned about using it for anti-social behaviour.

The Tenby Police and Communities Together meeting was informed one motorist had had their vehicle seized after failing to adhere to the warning and another motorist was warned about using their vehicle for anti-social behaviour.

They also told the public that one fixed penalty notice has been issued for speeding,.50 fixed penalty notices were issued by Police Officers for illegal parking within the town and the bus stop in Park Road and that Speed checks carried out in Upper/Lower Park Road with one motorist spoken to.

The meeting was also updated on the action taken in Heywood Lane with one fixed penalty notice issued for deliberately causing obstruction outside the Infants School and one fixed penalty notice issued for causing unnecessary obstruction in Tudor Way.

Members of the public raised concerns about the number of cars illegally parked in White Lion Street and the High Street and these areas will now be targeted by the team.

The meeting also agreed addressing violent crime should remain a priority for the coming month.

The next Tenby Police and Communities Together (PACT) meeting will take place on December 2 from 7-9pm at Augustus Place, Tenby.

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Heavy Goods Vehicles Targeted

Pembrokeshire Roads Policing Unit has been continuing with targeted operations in a bid to keep our roads safe.

Over the weekend a heavy goods vehicle check was carried out on the A477 at Sageston targeting foreign goods vehicles heading for Pembroke Dock Port.

A total of 17 vehicles were checked over a two hour period with 5 vehicles found with offences.

Three drivers were reported for tachograph offences and issued with graduated fixed penalties totalling £1,100 in fines and two drivers vehicles were so dangerous they were given immediate prohibitions.

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Cutting sign clutter

Caerphilly county borough council has been removing unnecessary road signs across the area to help reduce the amount of 'sign clutter' that can be a distraction to motorists.

The authority is leading the way in Wales in its efforts to rid the area of these unnecessary signs and highway staff have been busy uprooting the offending posts to help create a clearer street scene.

"We have now removed over 2,100 signs throughout the county borough and the scheme has helped improve highway safety as well as enhancing the visual impact of the area," said Cllr Rob Gough, CCBC cabinet member for transportation and planning.

National campaigners are calling for 70% of road signs on rural roads to be removed and are now urging Highway Authorities across the country to carry out 'clutter audits' to identify signs that are not needed.

The authority has paid particular attention to sensitive areas such as routes around historic locations and roads running through some of the county borough's breathtaking countryside.

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Road Safety Day

A Road Safety Day will be held at Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor, Glynllifon on Tuesday, 17 November between 9.30am and 3.30pm.

The event which will be offered to students (aged 16+) will include presentations and exhibitions from Gwynedd Council’s road safety officers and partners in the road safety field.

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Gwynedd motorists urged to drive safely

A new initiative to promote and encourage safe driving amonsgt Gwynedd motorcyclists and young drivers has been launched by Gwynedd Council and their partners in the emergency services.

With statistics showing that motorcyclists and young drivers are the most likely road user groups to be involved in road traffic collisions, Gwynedd Council in partnership with other key road safety practirioners in the area have launched a marketing campaign to encourage these group of motorists to take care on the roads.

As part of the new campaign, posters can now be seen on buses throughout the county promoting the “BikeSafe” programme which offers free motorcycling safety courses, as well as the new “Deadly Mates” initiative which educates young drivers of the dangers of driving irresponsibly.

Dafydd Wyn Williams, Gwynedd Council’s Senior Manager of Transportation and Street Care Service said: “We are working closely with our partners in the emergency services to reduce young driver casualties and motorcycle crashes. Analysis shows that as a group, young drivers and motorcyclists are amongst the highest risk as road users and we have witnessed a number of examples of young lives being lost because of risk taking and inexperience.

“It’s a sad fact that over 1,000 young lives are lost every year in the UK in road crashes, one in three crashes involve men under the age of 20. Drivers aged 17 – 19 are six times more likely to have a drink-drive crash than drivers aged 30 – 34 and one in five new drivers will be involved in a collision within the first 12 months of passing their driving test..

“That’s why Gwynedd Council is working with our partners in the emergency services to promote the “Deadly Mates” initiative and Free Bikesafe workshops with posters on buses throughout the county.”

The “Deadly Mates” initiative is a Wales-wide campaign targeting young drivers. With a third of all those killed or seriously injured in road accidents in Wales under the age of 25, the aim of the initiative is to encourage young people about the dangers they face as drivers and passengers.

Posters which can now be seen on buses in Gwynedd also draw attention to the innovative “Bikesafe” programme – which is run by the North Wales Bikesafe partnership with the support of Gwynedd Council’s Road Safety Service. It aims to encourage Gwynedd’s bikers to protect themselves and other road users by riding safely and responsibly. As part of the iniative, bikers are being encouraged to attend free local courses designed to enhance their riding skills and hazard perception.

Speaking after the launch, Colin Jones, Parking and Road Safety Manager for Gwynedd Council added: “Road safety interventions such as Bus Back advertising is about collision and danger reduction. Our aim is to make young drivers, their passengers and motorcyclists think about their driving and riding skills.

“The statistics relating to motorcycle crashes are stagerring, on average, 600 motorcyclists are killed on UK roads every year - that’s the equivalent of one person dying every 14 hours.

“On average, 12 motorcyclists are killed on Wales’ roads every year whilst the number of serious crashes involving motorcyclists in Wales is significantly higher than the UK average. It is staggering a fact that a motorcyclist in Wales is 45 times more likely to be killed on the road than someone travelling in a car.

“Young bikers are more likely to be involved in road traffic collisions than anyone else, with figures showing that they are involved in a fifth of all crashes where someone is killed or seriously injured. The aim of ‘Bikesafe’ is to promote safe motorcycling amongst bikers in general and young bikers in particular.”

Further details about the “Deadly Mates” campaign is available online at: www.deadlymates.com and for information about BikeSafe courses in Gwynedd contact Gwynedd Council Road Safety Team on 01286 679753 or Paul Cheshire, North Wales Bikesafe Co-ordinator on 01492 804155 or email: colinjones@gwynedd.gov.uk or psdbikesafe@nthwales.pnn.police.uk

Photograph: Sgt Emlyn Hughes (North Wales Police Road Policing Unit), Paul Scott (North Wales Fire & Rescue Services), Dermot O’Leary (Welsh Ambulance Service), Dafydd Wyn Williams (Gwynedd Council Chief Engineer Transportation and Street Care ), Steve Green (North Wales Police Bikesafe Officer), Colin Jones (Gwynedd Council’s Parking and Road Safety Manager)

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Council crackdown on illegal skips

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Highways Department has launched a major crackdown to rid the County Borough’s roads of illegally placed skips.

Under the Highways Act 1980 and the Council’s own conditions for skip placements, a permit has to be obtained by the skip company from the local authority before builders’ skips can be left on the public highway.

The permit is used in order to regulate the use of skips on highways and to avoid them becoming a nuisance to pedestrians or causing traffic problems.

If a skip is discovered which does not have a valid permit, Council officers will write to the offending skip company giving them the opportunity to apply retrospectively for a permit within thee days at an increased fee. Should a company fail to respond to such a request to obtain a permit or remove the skip immediately, the Council will remove the skip without further warning.

Skip operators are required to obtain and pay for such permits and the price of a permit should be included in the skip hire costs to their customers. Members of the public, who are intending to hire a skip that will be placed on the public highway, are advised to confirm with the skip company that a permit has been obtained.

Any skips discovered that do not have the skip company’s name and contact details marked on the sides of the skip, will be removed immediately from the highway. Customers are advised not to accept such skips as they may be removed before they have a chance to use them.

If you are considering hiring a skip, the Council’s Street Works team can confirm whether a permit is required. Residents are also encouraged to contact the Street Works team to check that a permit has been issued.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Customer Care Cllr Andrew Morgan explained: “The majority of skip companies operating within the County Borough do comply with the regulation currently in place but there are some companies who do not apply for permits from the Council.

“This enforcement action is necessary to ensure that all skip operators in the County Borough are complying with the regulations in an effort to reduce the nuisance impact on pedestrians and motorists alike.”

Members of the public can report any problems or infringements with regard to skips on the highway to the Environmental Services Group on 01443 494796 or e-mail: skips&scaffolding@rhondda-cynon-taff.gov.uk

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Cynon Valley Car Dealership Prosecuted

A car dealer who sold two vehicles that were deemed un-roadworthy has been fined nearly £6,000 in an important case.

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Trading Standards officers were contacted by a consumer who had bought an MGF and a Mercedes Vito from Mr Auto in Canal Road, Cwmbach, in April last year.

Following the sale, the customer had a number of quality issues with the vehicles he had bought, but did not get the response he expected. Although both vehicles were sold with MOT certificates, the consumer was concerned as work that had allegedly been carried out by Mr Auto had not been.

He arranged his own independent MOT check on the vehicles and they both failed. The customer immediately complained to Trading Standards and a consultant engineer was called in July 2008 to examine both vehicles.

The engineer found a number of issues, including longstanding corrosion, and he deemed both vehicles to be unroadworthy.

Throughout the investigation, Tahir Kareem, director of Mr Auto, insisted both vehicles were roadworthy at the time of sale and the problems, including corrosion, had developed since the sale.

Mr Auto Ltd was charged with two offences under section 5 (3) of the General Product Safety Regulations and denied both offences when he appeared at Aberdare Magistrates’ Court this month.

The court heard evidence from the Trading Standards investigating officer, the engineer and the MOT inspector who issued the MOT for the MGF before it was offered for sale.

The engineer told the court the corrosion was, in his professional opinion, of a long-standing nature.

Defence argued that a pre-delivery inspection of the Mercedes had taken place immediately before they sold it. They were unable to produce paperwork relating to this and, instead, relied on the MOT issued to the MGF by a garage also in Mr Kareem’s ownership.

Mr Auto was found guilty on both offences and fined £2000 on each of the offences, £1000 costs, £750 compensation to the consumer and £15 victims surcharge,.

The bench reported they felt Trading Standards had produced a thorough case and statutory defence had not been established. They confirmed they believed both vehicles were unsafe when they were sold.

David Jones, Head of Community Protection at Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, said: “This is an important case as it once again shows how committed we are to protecting the public and why that work is so key to safety.

“The customer did the right thing by reporting their concerns to us immediately so we could take matters further. Both vehicles were deemed to be unsafe and it does not bear to think about what could have happened if they had failed as a result.

“As well as protecting the customer and the wider public from the dangers of unsafe vehicles on the road, it is also about the rights of the consumer to get what they pay for – and upholding the law against those who have a duty of care to protect their clients, in this case Mr Auto.

“We have a team of dedicated, expert officers who are on hand to advise any business on their legal responsibilities and we urge them to make contact to prevent cases such as this. We will take enforcement action where necessary, but we remain committed to prevention as well.”

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£1.3 million spent on improving Torfaen roads

A £300,000 package of road resurfacing works in Torfaen is set to begin next week.

Garn Road, Blaenavon, Varteg Road, Varteg, and Foundry Road in Abersychan will benefit from the Welsh Assembly cash which will take the total 12 month spend on roads in the county borough past the £1.3 million mark.

Work, which is being carried out by Torfaen Council, will begin on Garn Road on Monday with the rest of the improvements scheduled later this month.

The latest round of spending comes after the £447,000 spent on resurfacing earlier this year with roads including stretches of Thornhill Road, Greenmeadow Way and Llantarnam Road in Cwmbran benefiting.

And in autumn 2008 some £650,000 was spent on other roads including The Highway, Croesyceiliog; Newport Road, Cwmbran; Grange Road, Cwmbran and the A472.

Councillor John Cunningham, Executive Member for Operational Services, said: "Spending £1.3 million on our roads shows we are committed to improving their condition. In an ideal world we would love to spend more but there is simply not enough money in our budget to do this."

Whilst acknowledging the current condition of some roads in the County Borough, Councillor Cunningham said the local authority was doing its best to maintain 437 km of road it is responsible for.

Currently, Torfaen County Borough Council, like all authorities in England and Wales, has a maintenance backlog.

Councillor Cunningham said: "There is a public expectation that we should be able to repair or fix problems quickly, but, because of limited resources, this is not always possible unless it is a safety issue."

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Drivers urged to respect the 'lollipop'

Drivers are being warned to respect school crossing patrols or face the consequences.

The call comes from the County Council's Road Safety Team after a motorist was prosecuted for failing to stop for a school 'lollipop lady'.

The man, who drove past the school crossing attendant as she helped a group of children cross the road, recently pleaded guilty to driving without due care and attention.

Holyhead Magistrates gave him three penalty points on his licence, a £65 fine and also ordered him to pay £65 costs.

Anglesey's Road Safety Officer, William Hughes, stressed, "Motorists are committing a criminal offence if they fail to stop when a school crossing attendant is in the highway displaying a STOP sign."

"This particular incident left the attendant shaken and upset and we welcome the prosecution by North Wales Police. Unfortunately, this sort of incident is more common than you'd think with some motorists becoming irate and abusive if they have to stop for the crossing patrol."

The Isle of Anglesey County Council employs 19 school crossing attendants who all carry out a very important role in safeguarding our children's safety. School crossing attendants, with their instantly recognisable 'lollipop' STOP signs, help children cross many of the Island's busiest roads on their way to and from school.

Highways portfolio holder, Councillor Eurfryn Davies, urged drivers to show consideration and respect at all times, especially when approaching a school.

He added, "Incidents like these are a real concern. A driver's failure to stop when an attendant is in the middle of the road could lead to a serious road traffic accident involving young children. I hope this successful prosecution sends a clear message to all drivers that this sort of behaviour cannot and will not be tolerated on Anglesey."

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