#stclears — Public Fediverse posts

Candidate demands action on stalled St Clears station after ‘five years of promises’

Carl Peters-Bond, who is standing as an Independent in the Caerfyrddin constituency and currently serves as Mayor of Kidwelly, is demanding urgent action to reopen St Clears railway station.

Located between Whitland and Carmarthen on the West Wales line, the station closed in 1964 and was handed a major boost in 2020 when it secured UK Government funding — but more than five years later, there is still no construction, no confirmed timetable, and no sign of trains returning.

“Not a single shovel in the ground”

Peters-Bond said patience in Carmarthenshire is wearing thin.

“People were told in 2020 that St Clears station was coming back,” he said.

“Five years on, we have vision documents, glossy strategies and endless consultations — but not a single shovel in the ground. It’s simply not good enough.”

A project stuck in limbo

The frustration reflects a project that has lurched from early optimism into years of uncertainty.

When funding was first secured in 2020, hopes were high that St Clears would be reconnected to the rail network — reversing decades of decline since its closure in the 1960s.

But since then, progress has repeatedly stalled.

Ministers have faced mounting pressure after failing to give clear reassurances on when — or even if — the station would be delivered, despite funding being announced. Concerns have also been raised that the project has slipped down the priority list, with accusations the Welsh Government has been dragging its feet.

At the same time, rising costs and technical challenges have cast further doubt over the scheme, while uncertainty around wider infrastructure plans in west Wales has only added to the delays.

Even now, while the station remains part of long-term regional transport ambitions, it is still effectively stuck on the drawing board — with no firm delivery date in sight.

Metro plans… but no timeline

The proposed station forms part of wider plans for a Swansea Bay and south west Wales metro-style network.

Transport for Wales has previously estimated the project could cost under £50 million, with ambitions to improve connectivity across rural west Wales — but crucially, no delivery timetable has ever been confirmed.

Peters-Bond seized on that lack of progress.

“Plans don’t get people to work, school or hospital — trains do,” he said.

“It’s time for delivery, not more documents.”

‘Left behind’ compared to Cardiff

He also pointed to what he sees as an imbalance in transport spending.

While major investment continues in metro systems in Cardiff and the Valleys — and billions have been spent on rail projects such as HS2 elsewhere in the UK — he said communities like St Clears are still waiting for basic infrastructure.

“Carmarthenshire deserves its fair share of investment, and St Clears station should be at the front of the queue,” he said.

Why it matters

Supporters say reopening the station could be a major boost for the area — improving access to jobs, education and healthcare, while easing pressure on the busy A40.

It could also prove crucial to future development in the region, with St Clears previously identified as a potential location for a new “super-hospital” serving west Wales.

Better rail links, campaigners argue, would be essential to making such large-scale plans viable.

‘No more delays’

Peters-Bond says that, if elected, he will push for a clear timetable and hold both Welsh Government and Transport for Wales to account.

“Carmarthenshire has waited long enough,” he said.

“Our communities deserve action — not another decade of promises.”

Long wait goes on

For now, though, the future of St Clears station remains uncertain — with locals still waiting to see whether the long-promised project will finally move from paper to platform.

Welsh Labour’s £4bn election pledge could revive controversial new Whitland or St Clears hospital plan

The commitment was made in the party’s manifesto pledges for the forthcoming Senedd elections, launched by Welsh Labour leader Eluned Morgan in Newport.

The press release states that the new £4bn “Hospitals for the Future Fund” would, over the next 10 years, fund a “hospital development in West Wales” alongside the replacement of the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff and the redevelopment of Wrexham Maelor Hospital.

This appears to refer to Hywel Dda University Health Board’s long-standing and controversial proposal for a new Urgent and Planned Care Hospital to be built near St Clears or Whitland in Carmarthenshire.

Those plans would see key services, including accident and emergency, removed from Glangwili Hospital in Carmarthen and Withybush Hospital in Haverfordwest, which would be downgraded to community hospitals.

Campaigners and local politicians have repeatedly raised concerns about the impact on residents in areas like Llanelli and Ammanford, who would face significantly longer journeys for emergency treatment.

Last year, Swansea Bay News reported that the new-build plan had been pushed back by at least a decade, with Hywel Dda’s chief executive saying he was making a “strong case” to the Welsh Government for immediate investment in existing sites instead.

The inclusion of a “hospital development in West Wales” in Welsh Labour’s flagship election pledge suggests the new-build plan is now firmly back on the agenda if the party wins the election.

In her speech, Eluned Morgan said: “The NHS is not just a service. It’s a promise. And we need to renew that promise. Not with slogans, but with the biggest investment programme in our history. So, we are committing £4 billion to build the Hospitals of the Future.”

She added: “Patients deserve hospitals fit for modern medicine, not more make-do and mend. Staff deserve a working environment that matches their skill and dedication. And Wales deserves an NHS built for the future, not held together by goodwill alone.”

The health board has previously argued that a new, purpose-built hospital would allow it to meet modern healthcare standards, attract staff, and provide more specialist services than are currently available across its existing sites.

Welsh Labour was contacted for clarification on whether the pledge refers specifically to the Hywel Dda new-build proposal.

Disqualified HGV driver arrested after lorry seen driving on wrong side of the road

Off‑duty officer reports lorry “on the wrong side of the road”

Dyfed‑Powys Police said the incident began when an off‑duty officer contacted the Force Communication Centre at around 1am on 29 January. The officer reported seeing a heavy goods vehicle being driven “erratically” on the A40 between Narberth and St Clears, including “on the wrong side of the road on multiple occasions”.

Police said the behaviour posed a “potential risk to other road users”, prompting immediate checks on the vehicle and a deployment by the Roads Policing Unit.

Specialist pursuit tactics prepared as HGV tracked across west Wales

According to the force, officers located the lorry travelling eastbound on the A48 between Carmarthen and Cross Hands. Dyfed‑Powys Police said the priority was the safety of the public and officers, and that specialist Tactical Pursuit and Containment (TPAC) advice was obtained.

Because of the vehicle’s direction of travel, the force said South Wales Police TPAC officers and the National Police Air Service (NPAS) were also brought in to support the operation.

The HGV was kept under “constant observation” as it continued along the A48 and onto the M4, police confirmed.

Lorry stopped in Fforestfach as officers move in

Dyfed‑Powys Police said the vehicle eventually came to a stop at an industrial estate in the Fforestfach area of Swansea, where officers detained the driver.

The force confirmed the 22‑year‑old man was arrested on suspicion of driving while disqualified and immigration offences. The HGV was seized under Section 165A of the Road Traffic Act.

Driver charged and remanded to court

In an update issued the following day, Dyfed‑Powys Police named the driver as Tajinder Singh, of Tudor Road, Southall.

The force said he has been charged with driving while disqualified and using a motor vehicle on a road without insurance. He was remanded to appear before Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Friday, 30 January.

Police urge public to report dangerous driving

Dyfed‑Powys Police said anyone with concerns about dangerous driving should report it, adding that roads policing officers “will take action to detect unsafe driving and prevent serious collisions”.

Trouble tenants kicked out as council shuts homes and clamps down on chaos across Carmarthenshire

The authority’s Anti‑Social Behaviour Team has been targeting problem council properties across the county, using some of the toughest powers available to stop drug‑linked exploitation, violent disturbances and persistent nuisance behaviour spilling into communities.

Council homes shut down after serious trouble

Four council homes have been hit with closure orders — a legal measure that locks out the people causing the trouble and stops anyone entering the property for a set period. The orders were used to protect vulnerable tenants and neighbours in St Clears, Y Fan and Granby Close in Llanelli, and Llys y Felin in Kidwelly, where residents had endured serious disruption linked to a tenant and their associates.

Council officers say the action has already brought relief to neighbours who had been living with constant disturbance.

Evictions after severe damage and persistent ASB

Two more council homes — one in Granby Close, Llanelli, and another in Maescader, Pencader — have been repossessed after what the council described as serious anti‑social behaviour and severe property damage.

The authority says eviction is always a last resort, but in these cases the behaviour was so persistent and harmful that removing the tenants was the only way to protect the community.

Warnings for nuisance neighbours as council gets tougher

In the last three months alone, the ASB team has issued ten community protection warnings and notices to tenants causing nuisance to neighbours and the wider community. Anyone who ignores these notices risks being hit with a fixed penalty fine.

Joint patrols and early intervention — but enforcement when needed

The council says it is combining tough enforcement with early intervention, working with Dyfed‑Powys Police on joint patrols in hotspot areas and offering mediation and support to resolve issues before they escalate.

But officers say they will not hesitate to act when behaviour becomes persistent, serious or harmful — especially when it affects vulnerable residents in council homes.

“We will not allow a small number of tenants to make life miserable”

Cllr Emlyn Schiavone, Cabinet Member for Homes, said the latest results show the council is prepared to take firm action to protect communities.

He said:

“These results show the real impact our anti‑social behaviour team is having across Carmarthenshire. They are stepping in quickly, protecting vulnerable residents and taking firm action where behaviour crosses the line.

“People have a right to feel safe in their council homes and in their communities. We will not allow a small number of tenants to make life miserable for their neighbours.

“By combining strong enforcement with meaningful support, we’re sending a clear message: anti‑social behaviour will not be tolerated in Carmarthenshire.”

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Serial sex offender jailed after targeting women across South Wales
A 35-year-old man has been jailed for two years after exposing himself and sexually assaulting women across Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Merthyr.

GPS tag helps police catch £12,500 tool thief across Carmarthenshire and Powys

Aston Amos, 35, of Bewdley, and Robbie Bate, 27, of Stourport‑on‑Severn, admitted stealing tools worth more than £12,500 from five vehicles during overnight raids in July.

Raids across two counties leave tradesmen out of work

Dyfed‑Powys Police received reports of break‑ins in Brecon and Builth Wells on 17 July, followed by further thefts in Newcastle Emlyn and Llandysul on 24 July. Court documents show the stolen items included a chainsaw worth around £500, roofing tools valued at £1,500, and other equipment worth thousands of pounds. The damage and loss left several tradesmen unable to work.

Investigators linked the crimes to an Audi A4 seen in each area. Hotel records later showed Bate had checked into accommodation in St Clears using the car’s registration number. Amos, meanwhile, was wearing a GPS monitoring tag at the time. Location data placed him at the scene of each theft. When questioned, he told officers: “You have put me in the area. That’s all you have done, put me in the area,” and even claimed never to have heard of Carmarthenshire.

Police seized the Audi and recovered some of the stolen tools before requesting assistance from West Mercia Police to arrest the pair.

Court hears of past convictions as sentences handed down

At Swansea Crown Court on 14 November, Amos was jailed for nine months, consecutive to a sentence he was already serving. Bate received a nine‑month sentence suspended for two years, along with a 12‑week curfew, 160 hours of unpaid work, and 20 rehabilitation activity days. The court heard Amos had 15 previous convictions for 24 offences, while Bate had eight previous convictions for 22 offences.

Detective Constable Carl Thomas, who led the case, said:

“This was a strong investigation led by North Ceredigion CID with a huge amount of support from a number of departments across the force to apprehend two travelling criminals.

Amos and Bate came into the Dyfed‑Powys area with the aim of targeting vans that might contain valuable tools, working their way through two counties to acquire a vast number of items.

Thankfully we have been able to recoup some of the stolen items for the victims, however these thefts will still have caused a loss of income and inconvenience for those affected.”

#brecon #builthWells #dyfedPowysPolice #gpsMonitoringTag #llandysul #newcastleEmlyn #robbery #stClears #theft #toolTheft

Major incident declared as flooding triggers rescues across West Wales and Swansea

450 calls in 12 hours

The service said its Joint Fire Control Centre handled more than 450 flooding‑related calls in just 12 hours between Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning.

Assistant Chief Fire Officer Craig Flannery praised the “dedication and professionalism” of crews and control staff who worked through the night to respond to emergencies.

He said:

“Our crews have been truly exceptional in assisting and protecting our communities. We are extremely grateful to all partner agencies who have assisted in responding to incidents during a prolonged and challenging period.”

Whitland: retirement complex evacuated

One of the most serious incidents unfolded in Whitland, where floodwaters swept into a retirement housing complex in the early hours of Wednesday. Crews from Pembroke Dock, Tenby, Swansea Central, Carmarthen and Whitland stations evacuated 48 residents using rescue sleds and water rescue equipment. All were accounted for and temporarily sheltered at Whitland Town Hall.

Ferryside: homes evacuated with RNLI support

At Ferryside, crews from Ammanford, Tumble and Carmarthen worked with the RNLI after multiple homes were flooded. Residents were led to safety and taken to Ferryside RFC for shelter.

Kidwelly: 34 dogs rescued from sanctuary

At Glanrhyd Dog Sanctuary near Kidwelly, crews from Gorseinon and Cymmer stations rescued 34 dogs after floodwaters engulfed the kennels. The sanctuary’s owner described losing “everything” as bedding, food supplies and equipment were destroyed.

Lampeter: vehicle rescue in fast‑flowing water

In Lampeter, firefighters from Lampeter and Aberystwyth stations carried out a complex rescue after a vehicle became stranded in fast‑flowing water. Using ladders, they reached three people and two dogs trapped inside, bringing them to safety before handing the casualties to ambulance crews.

St Clears: 20 properties affected

In St Clears, crews from Morriston, Swansea Central, Haverfordwest, Narberth and Llandysul responded to flooding that hit around 20 homes and businesses. Approximately 42 people were assisted out of their properties and rescued using sleds.

Swansea: Cwmbwrla roundabout submerged again

In Swansea, heavy rain once again left Cwmbwrla roundabout completely submerged, with cars stranded and nearby businesses forced to evacuate. The Gatehouse pub had to be cleared after water surged up through drains, with the landlady describing it as the second such incident in just six weeks.

Swansea Council has since said a collapsed culvert is behind the repeated flooding at the busy junction, which has caused major disruption to traffic into the city centre.

Support and recovery underway

As the emergency response continued, local councillors Crisial Davies and Lewis Eldred Davies, who represent Ferryside and Kidwelly, confirmed they had been on the ground speaking with residents and liaising with Carmarthenshire County Council and Welsh Water. They said additional sandbags were being delivered to affected areas including Glanmorfa and Glan yr Ystrad, and highlighted the launch of an emergency flood fund offering £500 for households that have been internally flooded, an additional £1,000 for those without insurance, and grants of up to £5,000 for eligible businesses.

Carmarthenshire Council has also opened a rest centre at Carmarthen Leisure Centre to support people displaced by flooding in Whitland, St Clears and surrounding communities. The authority said its crews had been working throughout the night and remained on site in multiple locations across the county, urging residents not to drive through floodwater.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service confirmed it continues to work with the Dyfed‑Powys Local Resilience Forum and partner agencies to support ongoing incidents and coordinate what is expected to be a challenging and lengthy recovery effort.

Related Articles

Cwmbwrla roundabout submerged again as flooding hits Swansea and wider region
Torrential rain leaves roads under water and causes disruption across South West Wales.

Council blames collapsed culvert – not drains – for Cwmbwrla flooding
Swansea Council says a collapsed culvert is behind repeated flooding at the busy junction.

Flooding devastates Carmarthenshire dog sanctuary as fire crews rescue 34 animals
Firefighters save dozens of dogs after floodwaters engulf Glanrhyd Dog Sanctuary near Kidwelly.

#Carmarthenshire #CarmarthenshireCouncil #CarmarthenshireCountyCouncil #Environment #Ferryside #flooding #Lampeter #MidAndWestWalesFireAndRescueService #StClears #Whitland

https://www.europesays.com/uk/446496/ Man fined after dog with amputated paw found on Welsh farm #Britain #Carmarthenshire #Courts #GreatBritain #RSPCA #SouthWestWales #StClears #UK #UnitedKingdom #Wales

Interesting day spent in Carmarthenshire visiting the Rebecca Riots sculpture made from a 120 year old cedar trunk and the National Botanic Gardens. #RebeccaRiots #Becca #Riots #StClears #Llanarthne #Carmarthenshire #GardenOfWales #Cedar #Sculpture #Gruffalo #Selfie #Sunday

Interesting day spent in Carmarthenshire visiting the Rebecca Riots sculpture made from a 120 year old cedar trunk and the National Botanic Gardens. #RebeccaRiots #Becca #Riots #StClears #Llanarthne #Carmarthenshire #GardenOfWales #Cedar #Sculpture #Gruffalo #Selfie #Sunday

Interesting day spent in Carmarthenshire visiting the Rebecca Riots sculpture made from a 120 year old cedar trunk and the National Botanic Gardens. #RebeccaRiots #Becca #Riots #StClears #Llanarthne #Carmarthenshire #GardenOfWales #Cedar #Sculpture #Gruffalo #Selfie #Sunday

Interesting day spent in Carmarthenshire visiting the Rebecca Riots sculpture made from a 120 year old cedar trunk and the National Botanic Gardens. #RebeccaRiots #Becca #Riots #StClears #Llanarthne #Carmarthenshire #GardenOfWales #Cedar #Sculpture #Gruffalo #Selfie #Sunday

Interesting day spent in Carmarthenshire visiting the Rebecca Riots sculpture made from a 120 year old cedar trunk and the National Botanic Gardens. #RebeccaRiots #Becca #Riots #StClears #Llanarthne #Carmarthenshire #GardenOfWales #Cedar #Sculpture #Gruffalo #Selfie #Sunday