Plans lodged for new Morriston Hospital access road and major campus expansion

The proposals include a full application for a 1.57km access road from junction 46 of the M4 and outline plans for a major expansion of Morriston Hospital’s clinical and research facilities.

The health board says the scheme is designed to meet rising demand for acute and specialist care, tackle waiting lists, and modernise facilities. It follows the 2021 City Deal‑backed vision for a life sciences and innovation campus at Morriston.

New access road from Felindre

The proposed single‑carriageway road would run north of Pant‑lasau Road to a new roundabout at the hospital’s northern edge. It includes a shared active‑travel path, sustainable drainage features, and new planting to reduce visual impact.

The health board says the route will ease congestion on existing approaches, improve blue‑light access to the Emergency Department, and support future public transport links from Felindre.

Campus‑style hospital expansion

The outline masterplan sets out a phased redevelopment to create an integrated “Morriston Health Campus” with new clinical, research and support buildings arranged around landscaped public spaces.

Key elements include:

• Critical Care Centre with new Emergency Department and theatres (18,000m²)
• Regional South Wales Thoracic Surgery Centre (5,000m²)
• New ward block providing six wards (9,000m²)
• Institute for Life Sciences (6,000m²) in partnership with Swansea University
• Three regional support service buildings, expanded energy and waste centres
• A central biophilic park and public arrival plaza

The design aims to connect the hospital more closely with its landscape, retain existing trees and hedgerows, and improve pedestrian and cycle links across the site.

Sustainability and access

The plans include renewable energy measures such as roof‑mounted solar panels and heat pumps, plus sustainable drainage systems designed for future climate conditions.

A relocated helipad on the roof of the Critical Care Centre is proposed to speed transfers from air ambulance to the Emergency Department.

Next steps

The application will be considered by Swansea Council. If approved, the access road would be built first, with hospital expansion phases following.

The health board says the development will “significantly enhance the hospital’s functionality, aesthetic appeal, and sustainability, making it a valuable asset to the community.”

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Flight: #N9861M
ICAO code: #ADC3F5
Registration: N9861M
Type: MAULE M-4
Direction: 340° (North-Northwest)
Speed: 92.0 kmh
Altitude: 1025 ft
Category: Light

Previously seen: 6 times

Track:
https://globe.adsb.fi/?icao=adc3f5

#adsb #M4

Flight: #N9861M
ICAO code: #ADC3F5
Registration: N9861M
Type: MAULE M-4
Speed: 12.2 kmh
Altitude: ground ft
Category: Light

Previously seen: 5 times

Track:
https://globe.adsb.fi/?icao=adc3f5

#adsb #M4

My #dotfiles are turning into an exercise in testing for features and degrading gracefully when they are absent.

While working around the “don’t change your wallpaper unless you like screen freeze” behavior in #sway on #FreeBSD, I discovered that installing certain software packages related to #amateurradio force the #waybar package to deinstall. Instead of digging into the nature of the incompatibility with the eventual goal of having both, I chose to work around it by using #m4. #Macros that test whether certain executables exist, and define other macros based on the results. Then ifdef() and #bobsyouruncle.

It’s nice that this is possible, with a minimum of tools. Not always easy to read, but possible.

Why the #workaround? Mostly because I always want a status bar of some sort, regardless of whether the computer’s role relates to amateur radio. And I want those bits of amateur radio functionality present on the machine, even if they are seldom used.

Yes, I could probably find a way to use the #ports collection to compile with exactly the right flags and make everything work. It might be educational. It probably won’t be enjoyable.

Thousands caught speeding on Swansea and Port Talbot roads — including one driver at 111mph in a 50 zone

More than 96,000 drivers were issued Notices of Intended Prosecution (NIPs) for speeding in South Wales over the past year — and several of the worst-affected roads are in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot.

Among the most striking figures was a driver clocked at 111mph on the M4 at Junction 41 Pentyla–Seaway Parade Bridge westbound, where the speed limit is just 50mph. The offence, recorded in January 2025, was one of the five worst speeding incidents in the region.

Gors Avenue among South Wales’ top speeding hotspots

In Swansea, Gors Avenue junction Dewi Terrace in Townhill saw 4,340 speeding offences recorded in 2024/25 — placing it third on the list of South Wales’ worst roads for speeding.

The stretch is home to a fixed speed camera and has been the subject of local campaigns to raise the limit back to 30mph. While part of Gors Avenue (between Townhill Road and Carmarthen Road) has since reverted to 30mph, the section where these offences were recorded remains at 20mph.

Other Swansea locations in the top 20 include:

• B4295 Swansea Road, Waunarlwydd – 3,702 NIPs
• Llangyfelach Road (junction Parkhill Road) – 3,295 NIPs
• Mumbles Road, Blackpill (westbound) – 1,174 NIPs

Each of these locations is monitored by fixed speed cameras. Llangyfelach Road, in particular, has seen controversy — with campaigners calling for the 20mph limit to be raised and a previous incident where the speed camera was cut down by vigilantes using an angle grinder. Police later offered a £1,000 reward for information about the attack.

VIDEO: Vigilantes cutting down the Llangyfelach Road speed camera

Top 20 roads for speeding offences in South Wales

M4 Port Talbot also among worst for speeding

The M4 westbound at Port Talbot recorded 1,526 speeding offences last year, placing it in the top 20. The stretch is monitored by a fixed camera and has long been a focus for enforcement due to high traffic volumes and safety concerns.

The data, compiled by Legal Expert using South Wales Police figures, shows a 57% increase in speeding notices compared to the previous year. In 2023/24, the force issued 61,390 NIPs. That figure rose to 96,368 in 2024/25 — equating to over £9.6 million in potential fines.

The worst speeding offence overall was 121mph on the A48 at Stormy Down, Bridgend — more than double the 50mph limit.

Worst recorded speeds in South Wales

#20mph #30mph #Blackpill #GorsAvenue #Junction41 #LlangyfelachRoad #M4 #Mumbles #MumblesRoad #NeathPortTalbot #NIP #NoticeOfIntendedProsecution #PortTalbot #SpeedCamera #speeding #speedingOffences #Swansea #SwanseaRoad #Townhill #Waunarlwydd