Minister agrees to visit Godre’r Graig school after six years in portacabins

Pupils at the school have been taught in temporary portacabins miles from their community since the original building was closed and demolished in 2019. Despite a funding application for a replacement school being submitted by Neath Port Talbot Council, no decision has yet been made — and Welsh Government officials are reportedly assessing the proposal as if it were for a brand-new school.

“This isn’t a new school — it already exists”

Raising the issue in the Senedd this week, Sioned Williams MS, who represents South Wales West, urged the Cabinet Secretary to meet with school leaders and “understand the exceptional context” of the application.

“What is of concern to me is the impact on the many learners at Godre’r Graig School who have never been educated in a permanent school building in their own community,” she said. “This isn’t a ‘new school’ — the school already exists.”

Ms Neagle confirmed she was “very happy to visit the school,” and acknowledged the wider impact of the situation on Welsh suppliers and families.

Community frustration grows over delays

The funding application is being considered under the Sustainable Communities for Learning Nine-Year Rolling Programme, but concerns have been raised about the criteria being applied. A letter from Welsh Government officials reportedly referenced the impact a “new school” could have on pupil numbers at neighbouring schools — but not the disruption already affecting Godre’r Graig pupils.

David Chadwick MP, Liberal Democrat Member for the area, has also written to the Cabinet Secretary urging urgent action:

“Five years after its closure, pupils are still being taught in temporary offsite portacabins. These facilities are not suitable for long-term education, and parents continue to raise concerns about uncomfortable temperatures and extended daily travel.”

He called for clarity on the timeline for reviewing the application, the criteria being used, and whether any interim support would be offered to improve current learning conditions.

Rejected super school plan still casts a shadow

The original proposal to merge schools in the Swansea Valley into a single “super school” was overwhelmingly rejected by the local community in 2021. Campaigners argued that the plan would strip three communities of their local primary schools, including Godre’r Graig.

With the demolition of the original building now complete, campaigners say the lack of a permanent replacement risks undermining the future of a successful school — and leaving a generation of learners without a stable, community-based education.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

‘Shameful’ answer from First Minister on replacement for demolished Swansea Valley school
Senedd response sparks anger over lack of progress on permanent school rebuild.

Council to discuss multimillion-pound school building plans
Neath Port Talbot outlines future investment in education infrastructure.

Swansea Valley super school plan rejected
Community campaign succeeds in stopping controversial school merger.

‘Listen to the people’: NPT Council urged to reject plans to close Swansea Valley schools
Parents and campaigners call for protection of local education provision.

#DavidChadwickMP #education #GodreRgraig #GodreRGraigPrimarySchool #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #newSchool #Pontardawe #portacabin #SionedWilliamsMS #SwanseaValley #WelshGovernment

New data reveals rising coal tip risk in Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot

Coal tip danger escalates in South West Wales

The risk rating has increased to the highest levels for five more coal tips in Bridgend and Neath Port Talbot, bringing the total number of high‑risk tips in these former mining communities to more than 80.

The newly classified tips include two in the Llynfi Valley above Caerau and Maesteg, and three in the Godre’r‑graig area of the Swansea Valley — the same community where a primary school was closed and later demolished because of fears a spoil tip could collapse.

Neath Port Talbot: Godre’r‑graig in the spotlight

Neath Port Talbot has 41 high‑risk coal tips in total. The latest update confirms that three tips at Godre’r‑graig have been reclassified to Category D, the highest risk level.

The reclassification comes just six years after Godre’r‑graig Primary School was evacuated and later demolished because of the threat from a spoil tip above the playground. Families in the village are still waiting for a permanent replacement school.

Other high‑risk tips in Neath Port Talbot are concentrated in the Afan Valley (Cymmer, Croeserw, Glyncorrwg), the Dulais Valley (Crynant, Seven Sisters, Onllwyn), and around Resolven and Blaengwrach.

📊 Table: Neath Port Talbot high‑risk tips

Bridgend: Valleys carry the heaviest burden

Bridgend has 42 high‑risk tips — the highest number in South West Wales. The Garw and Llynfi valleys carry the greatest concentration, with clusters above Pontycymmer, Blaengarw and Caerau.

Two tips in the Llynfi Valley were reclassified to Category D in the October 2025 update, adding to long‑standing concerns in communities where spoil heaps sit above homes and schools.

📊 Table: Bridgend high‑risk tips

Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire: lighter but not risk‑free

Further west, the numbers are smaller but the risks remain. Swansea has five Category C tips, spread across Cadle/Portmead (2), Pontardawe, Felindre and Loughor. None are currently rated at Category D, but all require annual inspections.

Neighbouring Carmarthenshire has just one Category C tip, located at Ammanford in the Amman Valley — the only high‑risk site in the county.

In Pembrokeshire, no Category C or D tips are recorded, reflecting the county’s different mining history.

The city and county have also faced other mining‑related legacies. In January 2021, homes in Clydach were flooded after water surged from old mine workings, underlining how the impact of coal is not confined to spoil tips alone.

📊 Table: Swansea & Carmarthenshire high‑risk tips

➡️ Pembrokeshire: No Category C or D tips recorded.

A legacy of tragedy and neglect

It is almost sixty years since the Aberfan disaster, when 116 children and 28 adults were killed as a coal tip collapsed onto a school and nearby homes.

Coalfield historian Ben Curtis said that while some tips were removed or made safe after Aberfan, the danger has never gone away.

“It is a potential problem that continues to remain for some of these tips to become unsafe over time, perhaps because of factors like the effects of climate change and increased rainfall,” he said.

For decades afterwards, little was known about the precise locations or conditions of Wales’ thousands of disused coal tips. That changed only after a landslip above Tylorstown in Rhondda Cynon Taf five years ago, which prompted the creation of a national register and new legislation to ensure tips were monitored and made safe.

Today, more than 2,500 disused coal tips have been identified across Wales, the majority of them in the south Wales coalfield. Of these, 360 are classed as Category C or D — the higher‑risk sites that must be inspected once or twice a year. Lower‑risk tips are categorised as A or B.

Rhondda Cynon Taf, Merthyr Tydfil and Caerphilly remain the counties with the highest concentrations of Category C and D tips, each with more than 50. But the latest figures show that communities in Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot, Swansea and Carmarthenshire are also living with dozens of high‑risk sites on their hillsides.

New dataset and map

The figures come from the latest update to the Welsh Government’s national coal tip database, published on 3 October. The database, first launched in 2023, is updated twice a year and is available through an interactive online map that allows residents to check the location and risk category of tips near their communities.

Coal Authority chief executive Lisa Pinney said managing tips on hillsides was key to reducing risk.

“Just under 300 are higher‑risk sites but that really just means that they need much more regular attention and inspection to make sure they stay safe. Any tip which is old mining material sitting on a hillside can pose a risk, obviously, but the key thing to their safety is to manage water and keep it away. And that’s why these inspections and maintenance are so important.”

Deputy First Minister Huw Irranca‑Davies added:

“The regular updating of this national, publicly available data demonstrates our unwavering commitment to coal tip safety across Wales, and our absolute dedication to protecting people. I want to reassure people living near to where tips have moved categories that this means they will receive increased monitoring and management.”

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Safety works to begin at Cwmgwrach coal tip to reduce landslip risk
Drainage improvements are being carried out at a Vale of Neath tip recently upgraded to Category D.

Record funding for coal tip safety works announced – including more than £6.3m for Neath Port Talbot
The highest annual spend to date includes millions earmarked for local sites.

Investment and legislation

The Welsh and UK governments say they have now committed more than £220m to coal tip safety, with £118m pledged by Westminster over three years and the remainder from Cardiff Bay. Officials say the funding is being used for inspections, maintenance and remediation works.

But ministers have also warned that the true cost of remediation could reach £500–600m over the next 10–15 years, far above the sums invested so far. In Neath Port Talbot alone, more than £6.3m has been earmarked for safety works, including drainage improvements at Cwmgwrach where one tip was recently upgraded to Category D.

A new law — the Disused Mine and Quarry Tips (Wales) Act — received Royal Assent last month. It will establish a dedicated Disused Tips Authority in 2027 to oversee monitoring and management. The legislation builds on proposals first set out in 2022, when ministers argued that the old law was “no longer fit‑for‑purpose” and called for a supervisory body with enforcement powers and rights of access.

⚠️ What do coal tip categories mean?

Category D
Highest risk. Potential to endanger life or property. Inspected at least twice a year.

Category C
Significant risk. Potential to impact public safety. Inspected at least once a year.

Category A & B
Lower risk. A = very low, B = low. Inspected less frequently.

Why it matters: Category C and D tips are the focus of safety works and new legislation, as they pose the greatest potential danger to communities.

Communities still living with coal’s legacy

Across South West Wales, more than 90 high‑risk tips remain on hillsides above towns and villages. For residents in places like Godre’r‑graig and Caerau, the latest reclassifications are a reminder that the scars of coal mining are not just historical — they continue to shape daily life.

Campaigners say the figures underline the need for long‑term solutions, not just inspections. As one local activist put it: “We’ve lived with these tips for generations. Every reclassification is a reminder that the risk is still with us.”

The risks are not confined to spoil tips alone. In 2021, a burst mine shaft in Skewen caused catastrophic flooding, leading to a national mines safety summit. First Minister Mark Drakeford warned then that climate change and heavier rainfall would increase the likelihood of such incidents.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Mines safety summit called following Skewen coal mine burst
A burst mine shaft caused catastrophic flooding in Skewen, prompting a national safety summit.

Landmark coal tip safety law comes into force in Wales
New legislation establishes a Disused Tips Authority from 2027.

#AfanValley #Ammanford #Blaengarw #Blaengwrach #Cadle #Caerau #coalTip #coalTipRisk #coalTipSafety #Croeserw #Crynant #Cwmgors #Cwmgwrach #Cymmer #DulaisValley #featured #Felindre #GarwValley #Glyncorrwg #GodreRgraig #HeolYCyw #HuwIrrancaDaviesMS #LlynfiValley #Loughor #Nantymoel #OgmoreVale #OgmoreValley #Onllwyn #Pontardawe #Pontycymmer #Portmead #SevenSisters #SwanseaValley #ValeOfNeath #WelshGovernment

“Shameful” answer from First Minister on replacement for demolished Swansea Valley school

School closed over landslide risk

Godre’r Graig Primary was shut in July 2019 after a geotechnical report identified a medium risk of landslide from a quarry spoil tip above the playground. Pupils were moved into portable classrooms near Cwmtawe Community School in Pontardawe, more than three miles away. The original building has since been demolished.

Neath Port Talbot Council has submitted an application to Welsh Government for funding to build a replacement school. But uncertainty over the bid, and how it is being assessed, has raised concerns among staff and parents about the school’s long‑term future.

Clash in the Senedd

Raising the issue in the Senedd on Tuesday (30 September), South Wales West MS Sioned Williams said correspondence seen by the school suggested the application was being treated as if it were for a brand‑new school, rather than a replacement forced by “the scars of our industrial legacy.”

In response, the First Minister said:

“Well, my understanding is that the Plaid council blocked the new school proposal, and that is something that you may want to reflect on.”

The remark referred to the previous Labour administration’s controversial “super school” plan, which would have merged Godre’r Graig with Alltwen and Llangiwg primaries on a new site at Parc Ynysderw, Pontardawe. That proposal was overturned by the council’s new rainbow coalition in 2022 following strong community opposition.

“Children deserved a better response”

Speaking afterwards, Ms Williams said:

“The children, staff and community of Godre’rgraig deserved a better response to their situation than that given by the First Minister today.

This building was closed through no fault of the school, its staff or its pupils but rather the scars of our industrial legacy – that are continuing to impact our children to this day.

It was shameful to see the First Minister play politics with the future of Godre’r Graig Primary School without even trying to answer my question about the need to recognise the exceptional circumstances that led to the school requiring a new building.”

She confirmed she will be writing to the First Minister to demand a “substantive response more befitting of her office.”

Related articles

• Swansea Valley super school plan rejected

  Neath Port Talbot Council scraps controversial proposal to merge three primaries into one new ‘super school’ at Pontardawe.

• Council to discuss multimillion-pound school building plans

  Cabinet members consider major investment in new and replacement schools across the borough.

• Decision day set for controversial Swansea Valley super school plans

  Key vote scheduled on whether to proceed with merging Alltwen, Godre’r Graig and Llangiwg primaries.

• Senedd Member calls for Pontardawe super school plan to be rejected

  Sioned Williams MS warns the proposals would damage community life and Welsh language provision.

• Council to review Swansea Valley super school decision made by previous administration

  New coalition leadership re-examines the controversial education project after local backlash.

• Plan for new super primary school in Swansea Valley recommended for council’s cabinet approval

  Officers recommend approval for a £22m single-site school at Parc Ynysderw, Pontardawe.

• Three Swansea Valley schools could be replaced with one new one under latest council plans

  Proposals outlined to merge Godre’r Graig, Alltwen and Llangiwg primaries into a single new build.

#coalTipSafety #CwmtaweCommunitySchool #ElunedMorganMS #FirstMinister #GodreRgraig #GodreRGraigPrimarySchool #landslide #landslideRisk #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #newSchool #PlaidCymru #Pontardawe #quarryTip #SionedWilliamsMS #superSchool #SwanseaValley #WelshGovernment #WelshLabour

Swansea Valley volunteers praised for keeping green spaces clean and beautiful

Keep Wales Tidy is celebrating the work of My Green Valley, a volunteer‑led organisation that has organised 78 community litter picks this summer alone, clocking up more than 300 hours and removing nearly 300 bags of rubbish.

Founded in 2019, the group has quickly become one of the most active clean‑up teams in south west Wales, covering parts of Neath Port Talbot and Clydach in Swansea. Their efforts have helped transform neglected areas, improve wildlife habitats and foster a renewed sense of pride in the community.

“They love where they live”

Steve Thomas, Secretary at My Green Valley, said:

“My Green Valley is a community organisation set up in 2019 to help keep our valley clean and free of litter. My Green Valley volunteers enjoy making a difference. They love where they live, being an active part of their community, and improving the environment.”

Phil Budd, Swansea Project Officer at Keep Wales Tidy, added:

“The work My Green Valley has done this summer is a brilliant example of community action at its best. Their commitment, consistency, and care for the environment have made a visible impact across the valley. It’s groups like this that show how local people can lead the way in protecting our shared spaces.”

Regular litter picks across the valley

The group runs regular litter picks in communities across the Swansea Valley, including:

• Pontardawe – every Sunday (Castle Hotel car park, 9am) and every Thursday (old Tawe Bridge near the Pontardawe Inn, 10am)
• Alltwen – every other Friday (black bin day, Triangle, 11.30am)
• Clydach – first Friday of the month (Forge Fach, 10am)
• Trebanos – first Sunday of the month (rugby field, 9am)
• Gwaun Cae Gurwen – last Sunday of the month (CK’s car park, 9am)
• Ystalyfera – regular sessions announced on social media

How to get involved

Keep Wales Tidy says there are lots of ways for people across Swansea to play their part. Residents can join a local community group like My Green Valley, or borrow free litter‑picking equipment from their nearest Litter Picking Hub to do a tidy‑up in their own time.

The hubs and community clean‑up activities are part of a nationwide initiative funded by the Welsh Government. More details are available at keepwalestidy.cymru/get-involved/volunteering.

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• Green Flag flying at Kilvey Community Woodland thanks to decades of volunteer care

  Volunteers’ decades of work on Kilvey Hill earn national recognition for conservation and community spirit.

• Four Swansea beaches named among Wales’ best in prestigious Wales Coast Awards

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#Alltwen #Clydach #GwaunCaeGurwen #KeepWalesTidy #litter #litterPicking #MyGreenValley #Pontardawe #SwanseaValley #Trebanos #volunteering #Ystalyfera

New trail launched on Tawe Trails history app

The latest addition — an audio‑only Tawe navigation trail — has been created for passengers on the popular Copper Jack River Cruise, offering a guided journey up and down the River Tawe packed with stories from the city’s industrial past.

It joins six other trails already available, covering Hafod Morfa Copperworks, White Rock, Parc Llewelyn, Swansea Canal at Clydach, Morriston Park and the wider Lower Swansea Valley.

The app, developed by Swansea Council’s regeneration team and funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, features interactive maps, waypoint pins, high‑quality images, satellite and street views, selfie postcard frames, accessibility settings and offline functionality. Content is available in English and Welsh, including audio narration.

Council cabinet member Robert Francis‑Davies said it was encouraging to see more than 700 downloads so far, with that figure expected to rise over the school holidays.

“The Lower Swansea Valley was at the heart of the copper industry that helped spread Swansea’s name across the world,” he said. “Thanks to the app, people will learn that Swansea’s story is Britain’s story — and we’re sharing it in the most modern way.”

The newest trail also includes accessibility and safety advice, along with background on historic sites such as Lougher Castle, Oxwich Castle, Weobley Castle and Pennard Castle.

The Tawe Trails app is free to download from the iTunes Store and Google Play.

#app #CllrRobertFrancisDavies #Clydach #CopperJack #HafodMorfaCopperworks #history #MorristonPark #ParcLlewelyn #RiverTawe #SwanseaCanal #SwanseaCouncil #SwanseaValley #TaweTrails #WhiteRock

Plaid MS challenges LINK over Pontardawe banking hub snub

Plaid Cymru Senedd Member for South Wales West, Sioned Williams, has written to LINK — the UK’s cash access coordinator — to dispute its assessment that Pontardawe does not require additional cash services after Lloyds Bank closes its branch this November. LINK is funded by the UK’s banks and building societies to assess community needs and ensure access to cash across the country.

The closure of Lloyds will leave the entire Swansea Valley without a physical bank, prompting widespread concern. LINK’s original review concluded that existing cash access in Pontardawe was sufficient, despite calls from residents and businesses for a dedicated banking hub.

In response, Ms Williams has compiled a detailed evidence pack including letters from local businesses, charities, councillors, residents and Pontardawe Town FC, challenging the practicality of LINK’s verdict. She argues that the assessment fails to reflect the “facts on the ground”, citing the town’s reliance on cash-based trade, limited public transport links to Neath, and the broader impact on surrounding communities such as Rhos, Clydach, Gwaun-cae-Gurwen, Cwmllynfell and Ystalyfera.

While Lloyds has pledged to provide a Community Banker in Pontardawe, this service will be limited to fortnightly visits and will not handle transactions — a move Ms Williams says falls short of meeting local needs.

Sioned Williams said:

“When LINK assessed Pontardawe in the wake of the news that Lloyds Bank will close – the last bank in the Swansea Valley – they concluded that there were sufficient banking services nearby. This is a decision that I am still disputing after hearing the feelings aired in the public meeting I held, in ongoing conversations with residents and local businesses, and because this is my town and my bank.”

She added that many businesses operate on a cash-only basis and would be forced to close temporarily to travel to Neath for banking — a journey complicated by the infrequent 256 bus service, which runs fewer than ten times daily.

Sioned Williams said:

“While the people of Pontardawe and the wider area are under no illusions that financial services are changing, all they – and I – ask is that their request for a banking hub be given proper and full consideration with appropriate attention paid to the facts on the ground.”

The campaign to retain banking services in Pontardawe has gained momentum in recent months. In July, local MP Christina Rees wrote to the CEO of Lloyds Banking Group urging the bank to reconsider its decision to close the branch, citing the impact on vulnerable residents and small businesses. Ms Williams also previously criticised Lloyds’ response to community concerns as “deeply disappointing” and lacking in meaningful engagement.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

MP calls on Lloyds CEO to halt closure of Pontardawe branch
Christina Rees MP urges Lloyds to reconsider closure plans amid community backlash.

Senedd member speaks out on “deeply disappointing” Lloyds response on Pontardawe bank closure
Sioned Williams MS criticises lack of engagement and calls for better consultation.

#ATM #bankClosure #banking #cashpoint #Clydach #Cwmllynfell #GwaunCaeGurwen #Link #LloydsBank #Pontardawe #Rhos #SionedWilliamsMS #SwanseaValley #Ystalyfera

Two UK National Awards given to a book on old industries & canals of the Swansea Area

A recent book on the Swansea Canal, its internationally significant early railways and the role they played in developing the global industries of Swansea and the Swansea valley has been recognised by being given two prestigious UK national awards. 

The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales (UK) and the Swansea Canal Society have published Arteries of Sustainable Industry: The Swansea Canal and its Early Railways by Stephen Hughes, former Secretary-general of the international industrial archaeology group TICCIH. This is an archaeological and historical study of the Swansea region: one of the earliest intensive industrial landscapes in the modern world. At its centre was athe Swansea Canal and its public railway system authorised by an Act of Parliament in 1794. 

This integrated transport system enabled the development of the world centre of a series of international industries – copper, tinplate, iron, coal and early railway development. Some of the first public railways were planned for early locomotives, engineers involved built tunnels from the 1760s and iron railway bridges from the 1780s. As noted by the great canal historian Charles Hadfield it was at Gwauncaegurwen, on the western fringes of the Swansea Valley, that the first underground mining canal was tunnelled in 1757. In 1774 a mile long underground canal was driven into the hillside under what is now Morriston by the Lockwood, Morris & Co. Forest Copperworks at Swansea.

The canal engineer James Cockshutt reintroduced Roman techniques of waterproofing waterways. Cockshutt was the former managing director of what was developing into the largest ironworks in the world at Cyfarthfa, Merthyr Tydfil. 

Joshua Gilpin, an American industrial reporter or ‘spy’ reported on meeting the Swansea Canal engineers at Swansea in 1796 who explained how they were using hydraulic (Aberthaw) lime rather than cumbersome clay to waterproof the aqueducts, wharves and locks of the new waterway. This was 5 years before Thomas Telford  completed and claimed his use of hydraulic lime to waterproof the sides of the Chirk Aqueduct was the first use of this material for that purpose.

The international background of a multipurpose waterway unique in Britain is explored. It was unique in the extent that it provided a water-power resource attracting new industry that also used the water for transport and processing. The local gifted engineer, George Martin, originally from Whitehaven saw an opportunity. In 1810 he built a large cornmill on the canal banks (at Trebannws) to use the waste canal water flowing into the River Tawe above the intake of the two large coppermill complexes on the river. During the construction of the Swansea Canal the intended top two locks of the canal were never built but the large head feeder to the canal from the River Tawe was constructed at its earlier intended high level. In 1824 this available water resource prompted the construction of the first ironworks (Aber-craf) to attempt to smelt iron with hard anthracite coal rather than softer bituminous coal as previously used.

Continued experiments at nearby Ynyscedwyn Ironworks in 1837 were successful in applying hot blast to the anthracite iron process using blast water-wheel powered blast, partly using waste-water from the canal conveyed along a navigable canal branch. This breakthrough had profound implications for the growth of the anthracite-fuelled iron industry both in the UK and the USA. In the Swansea Valley it led to the construction of a single line of 11 blast-furnaces built into the side of the Swansea Canal at Ystalyfera, possibly the largest single line of such structures at the time. 

Two of the earliest tinplate works (Pheasant Bush & Primrose), established in 1839 and 1844, by two brothers at what became the world centre of the industry also used the by-wash or bypass waters of two sets of twin locks.

The Swansea-based Cambrian newspaper was the first to publish the successful run of the Penydarren-built Trevithick locomotive in 1804. In the same newspaper the engineer/entrepreneur Edward Martin announced that because of the successful run of the locomotive the seven miles Oystermouth Canal scheme around Swansea Bay was to be changed to a railway construction. This was the first railway to be designed for steam locomotive operation. The Oystermouth Railway Act specially allowed for the use of locomotives rather than horses but Trevithick chose to concentrate on other schemes rather than his proposed lighter locomotive that could have run on the Oystermouth line’s brittle cast-iron plateway track.

On opening the Oystermouth Canal was a commercial failure. One of the redundant limestone wagons was adapted to run the world’s first timetabled public railway passenger service. Timber-framed river ferry buildings at Swansea formed the first railway station to be established internationally.

The third independent railway to be built in the lower Swansea Valley was the three mile long Scott’s Coal Pit Railway engineered by Roger Hopkins. It was the first new line to be run using a steam locomotive from its completion in 1818. Its railway line to the Swansea Canal over the Beaufort Bridge Viaduct was a public railway designed to use an early Stephenson locomotive, one of the first two to be operated outside the Newcastle Coalfield. George Stephenson and Nicholas Wood were both present at the opening.

The international development of canal & early railway use is explored in detail in two of the four chapters. The book can be purchased for online at www.ebay.com & www.swanseacanalsociety.com/swansea-canal-book-sales and the 82 reconstructions painted by the author for the book can be seen at www.Etsy.com/shop/BuildingsofWalesArt and www.canaljunction.com .

#books #Swansea #SwanseaCanal #SwanseaValley

Claims that ‘Swansea Valley forgotten again’ as area missed out of Welsh Government transport grant announcement

Neath Port Talbot Council has been awarded nearly £5.7 million through the Local Authority Transport Grants for 2025–26. This includes £990,000 for the Neath to Cimla Active Travel Route, £730,000 for carriageway improvements in Cymmer, £440,000 for the Neath Integrated Transport Hub, and £1.6 million for drainage improvements on Fabian Way. Further funding has been awarded for a range of road safety and training initiatives.

However, critics say that none of this funding has been directed towards the Swansea Valley, despite the area facing serious transport and economic challenges. While investment has been concentrated in Neath and Port Talbot – areas already benefitting from stronger transport links, including rail connectivity – the Swansea Valley, which has no direct rail services and limited infrastructure, has once again been left behind.

Although approximately £800,000 has been allocated for wider Active Travel and road safety schemes, the Welsh Liberal Democrats have argued that this does little to address the urgent need for meaningful infrastructure investment in the Swansea Valley.

David Chadwick MP (Brecon, Radnor, and Cwm Tawe) has called on the Welsh Labour Government to urgently rethink its priorities and deliver real investment to communities that have been consistently overlooked, warning that continued neglect of former industrial areas like the Swansea Valley will only deepen regional inequalities.

David Chadwick MP said: “Once again, the Welsh Labour Government have forgotten the Swansea Valley.”

“None of the almost £5 million awarded to Neath Port Talbot for transport projects has been earmarked for the Swansea Valley, an area with already inadequate transport links.”

“Although a small amount of funding has been allocated to wider initiatives such as ‘pedestrian training’, this does not come close to addressing the lack of serious investment in the Swansea Valley.”

“The people of Swansea Valley deserve more than being an afterthought. Over and over, the Welsh Labour Government promise fair funding across Wales. Yet the money flows straight to already well-connected areas with established transport and rail links, while communities like those in the Swansea Valley are left behind.”

“The Government must stop neglecting the Swansea Valley and commit to a fair and consistent transport strategy.”

#DavidChadwickMP #NeathPortTalbot #Pontardawe #SwanseaValley #Transport #WelshGovernment #WelshLiberalDemocrats #Ystalyfera

Senedd Member speaks out on ‘deeply disappointing’ Lloyds response on Pontardawe bank closure

Following her campaign to challenge the closure of Lloyds Bank in Pontardawe, which has gained hundreds of responses, all of whom are in favour of keeping the branch open, Lloyds Bank agreed to meet with Sioned Williams to discuss their decision.

Ms Williams has described the response from the multi-national bank as “deeply disappointing” and their planned departure as a “betrayal” although has welcomed their offer of support to help locals with other banking options, including their commitment to run a Lloyds Community Banker Service in the town.

A Community Banker, while not able to handle transactions, will provide face to face support for people who have questions about accounts and services. However, Lloyds indicated that this would only be available once a fortnight in Pontardawe, and their plan was to encourage people to use their online or telephone banking services.

Lloyds do not currently have an Welsh language version of their online banking, although there are options to speak to people in Welsh on the telephone.

Sioned Williams MS, Plaid Cymru Member of Senedd for South Wales West, said: “The decision by Lloyds Bank to close the branch in Pontardawe has left a sense of betrayal for residents and businesses alike. I was keen to impart in my meeting with Lloyds the fact that this decision doesn’t just impact the people of Pontardawe – because this is the last bank in the entire Swansea Valley, it impacts up to 25,000 people.

“While Lloyds insisted that they wrote to everyone lives near and who uses the branch, even if their account sort code is elsewhere, I received no such letter and I both live in Pontardawe, and frequent the branch! I was able to secure a commitment from them to look again at their list of customers in scope.

“I also made clear that the closure of the branch will impact our most vulnerable people. Travelling to Swansea or Neath is not an option for everyone, and many people who signed my petition have told me that they’re not able to or want to use online banking services – not everyone owns a computer, and not everyone has good internet connection in Wales!

“What particularly stings is that Lloyds closed their Ystradgynlais Branch on the basis they had a branch in Pontardawe. People from across the Swansea Valley come to Pontardawe for the bank, and this is rightly causing great concern for local businesses. While Lloyds reviewed transaction data for local businesses, they did not survey those businesses before making their decision, and the concern is that the removal of the bank will force those businesses to go cashless. This will impact people who do not have access to a bank card, such as those with a learning disability, and those who prefer to transact in cash.

“Lloyds Bank have promised me that no customer will be ‘left behind’ and they will look at the resource which will be allocated to the Pontardawe Branch to ensure customers have the time to learn about other options, but the fact remains that it won’t be the same. While Lloyds reassured me that 77% of Pontardawe Branch customers are interacting with banking in different ways too, I’m fighting for the quarter of customers who only interact in branch, and for our local businesses.

“Here we have a multi-national bank that’s forcing change on customers who are telling them loud and clear they want and need a physical branch. This is not a customer-first approach, it’s a corporation-first approach and their initial response is deeply disappointing.

“Thank you to everyone who has taken time to tell me how the branch closure will specifically impact them – please keep your examples coming, as the fight isn’t over yet.”

(Lead image: Plaid Cymru)

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