North Wales Liberal Democrat AM Aled Roberts is calling on the Welsh Government to give more priority to improving rail and road links with Manchester and Liverpool.
Mr Roberts’ call came after the England’s Northern Cities announcement that they are bidding for a £15 billion plan to improve transport links was backed by the Chancellor, George Osborne.
“In June the Chancellor called for the creation of a ‘northern global powerhouse,’” commented Aled Roberts. “And now the northern cities are making a similar call it seems likely that the Chancellor’s Autumn Statement will contain some major financial commitments to improve transport.
“If the Welsh Government continues their policy of concentrating only on improving transport links between north and south Wales, then we in North Wales could lose out on a golden opportunity to benefit from major investment in England’s North West.
“Already large numbers of people commute from North Wales to the Liverpool and Manchester conurbations but commuting is a nightmare as a result of road congestion and the lack of direct commuting trains.
“Indeed from December, if current plans are maintained, we are likely to lose a key commuting service from Llandudno to Manchester and I have written to both the Welsh Government’s transport minister and Arriva Trains Wales to try and save it.
“Just one per cent of the £1,000,000m that is being spent on improving the M4 around Newport could give Wrexham direct train services to Manchester and Liverpool. Only £10m is required to dual most of the line between Wrexham and Chester so that more trains can run.
“Are Labour’s Welsh Government in contact with Labour’s city leaders in the North of England? Judging by recent publicity it seems that a Conservative Chancellor has more contact those Labour leaders than a Labour one in Cardiff.
“The problem is that Welsh Labour think Cardiff and South Wales and our Labour leaders in the North are too weak to challenge that bias. A billion is being spent on the M4 to give South Wales better access to
England’ booming South East but they will not consider investing in better connectivity between North Wales and England’s Northern cities as they plan economic growth.
“I hope that Labour’s Welsh Leadership change their mind because if they do not, then in fifteen years’ time we in North Wales will be watching economic development in England’s Northern Cities unable to take part or reap any benefit.”
Tuesday, August 5, 2014
AM meets Jobs Growth Wales graduates
* Ken Skates AM, third from right, with the Jobs Growth Wales graduates at Plas Newydd.
Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates spent an afternoon with previously unemployed young people who found work through a flagship Welsh Government scheme.
Mr Skates, the Labour AM for Clwyd South, met Yendl Barwise, Alex Falkingham, Sian Medi Davies, Sam Massey and David Thompson at Plas Newydd, Llangollen on Thursday (July 31).
The five graduates all found placements with Denbighshire County Council’s countryside services team through Jobs Growth Wales (JGW), which has now helped more than 11,300 people aged 16 to 24-year-olds into work across the country – including at least 418 in Denbighshire and 408 more in Wrexham.
The Welsh Labour scheme reimburses the cost of employing 16- to 24-year-olds for the first six months, and has won the praise of employers throughout Wales.
David Shiel, Senior Countryside Officer with Denbighshire County Council, said: “Jobs Growth Wales is fantastic for us because we get a good range of talent coming in, and we try to give them as broad an array of experience as possible to help them find work in the future.
“This is the second intake of Jobs Growth Wales employees we’ve had, and we’ve been able to help all the previous ones find work within the environmental sector after they left us. The problem a lot of young people have is finding work without any experience, so Jobs Growth Wales helps them as well as us. It’s win-win.”
Mr Skates, who is also the Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, said: “Jobs Growth Wales has filled 735 job opportunities in the last month alone. The latest figures show success rates for the programme continuing strongly, with 82% of young people working
in the private sector progressing into employment or further learning after completing their six-month Jobs Growth Wales opportunities.”
“It is fantastic news for the area that so many young people are seeing the benefit of Jobs Growth Wales. The scheme, which is fast becoming the envy of Europe, not only provides career opportunities, it also enables young people to gain good quality work experience and the essential skills employers look for, supporting their progression into sustained employment and their long-term prospects.
“Our absolute priority in these tough times is to stand up for the people of Wales, creating jobs and enabling growth. The success of this programme so far proves we’re doing just that. I am immensely proud of what we’ve achieved and I am proud that the Welsh Labour Government is determined to leave nobody behind.”
Monday, August 4, 2014
Candlelit service marks start of the Great War
Llangollen people gathered at the town's cenotaph for a candlelit service to mark the centenary of Britain's involvement in World War 1 earlier tonight (Monday).
They joined in the Royal British Legion's national campaign to mark the exact time of Britain's declaration of war on Germany at 11pm on August 4, 1914 with a show of candlelight.
The service was led by the Rev Andrew Sully of St Collen's Church and on parade were members of cadet organisations along with standard bearers from the British Legion.
They joined in the Royal British Legion's national campaign to mark the exact time of Britain's declaration of war on Germany at 11pm on August 4, 1914 with a show of candlelight.
The service was led by the Rev Andrew Sully of St Collen's Church and on parade were members of cadet organisations along with standard bearers from the British Legion.
* Youth organisations parade with their symbolic candles.
* People gather around the cenotaph for the service.
* A candle and a poppy cross left on the cenotaph at the end of the service.
Chirk open evening to recruit retained firefighters
North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is holding an open evening tomorrow (Tuesday) at Chirk Fire Station as part of it current campaign to recruit Retained Duty System (RDS) firefighters to help protect communities across the region.
Ruth Simmons, Assistant Chief Fire Officer,explained: "RDS firefighters provide essential fire and emergency cover for their fire station's area. We are looking for suitable individuals, in particular those available during the day, who can travel to their local fire station within five or six minutes of being paged for a call out.
"These people may have other roles such as builders, shopkeepers, nurses, factory workers, housewives or homeworkers during working hours but we would ask that, in addition, retained firefighters are available to attend emergency incidents as and when required.
"Firefighters are fully trained, highly skilled personnel, saving lives and property from fire. RDS firefighters provide expertise at road, rail and aircraft accidents, chemical spillages, flooding, forest, heathland and mountain fires, agricultural accidents and animal rescues.
"We are looking for both female and male recruits who are enthusiastic and can demonstrate common sense, commitment and dedication. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service provides close-knit, highly trained teams working with modern, hi-tech equipment. Recruits will also take part in the fire prevention work we carry out to prevent fires happening in our community."
The Chirk open evening will be held between 6.30pm and 9pm.
For more details, contact North Wales Fire and Rescue Service on 01745 535250 or RDSrecruitment@nwales-fireservice.org.uk.
All applications must be received by 27thAugust 2014.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old. They must possess a good standard of physical fitness and have the ability to pass aptitude tests. In addition to their monthly retaining fees, payments are made for turnouts, attendance and drill nights.
Many employers are aware of the essential role that retained fire and rescue service personnel carry out within their local communities and many release staff to carry out firefighting and other emergency duties.
Ruth Simmons, Assistant Chief Fire Officer,explained: "RDS firefighters provide essential fire and emergency cover for their fire station's area. We are looking for suitable individuals, in particular those available during the day, who can travel to their local fire station within five or six minutes of being paged for a call out.
"Firefighters are fully trained, highly skilled personnel, saving lives and property from fire. RDS firefighters provide expertise at road, rail and aircraft accidents, chemical spillages, flooding, forest, heathland and mountain fires, agricultural accidents and animal rescues.
"We are looking for both female and male recruits who are enthusiastic and can demonstrate common sense, commitment and dedication. North Wales Fire and Rescue Service provides close-knit, highly trained teams working with modern, hi-tech equipment. Recruits will also take part in the fire prevention work we carry out to prevent fires happening in our community."
The Chirk open evening will be held between 6.30pm and 9pm.
For more details, contact North Wales Fire and Rescue Service on 01745 535250 or RDSrecruitment@nwales-fireservice.org.uk.
All applications must be received by 27thAugust 2014.
Applicants must be at least 18 years old. They must possess a good standard of physical fitness and have the ability to pass aptitude tests. In addition to their monthly retaining fees, payments are made for turnouts, attendance and drill nights.
Many employers are aware of the essential role that retained fire and rescue service personnel carry out within their local communities and many release staff to carry out firefighting and other emergency duties.
A483 closed due to serious incident
Wrexham.com is reporting this morning that the A483 towards Chirk has been closed due to a serious incident at around 11.15am today.
For the full story see:
http://www.wrexham.com/news/a483-closed-due-to-serious-incident-46458.html
BBC traffic information says:
A483 Wrexham - A483 in Halton closed and queueing traffic in both directions between Halton Roundabout and Ruabon, because of a serious police incident. Diversion in operation - local. Congestion to J2, B5426 (Johnstown) and on A5 to Gledrid Roundabout.
More on the story from the Oswestry Advertizer's website ...
http://www.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk/news/136433/man-falls-from-bypass-bridge-near-chirk.aspx#.U9-CrkjYFzc.twitter
For the full story see:
http://www.wrexham.com/news/a483-closed-due-to-serious-incident-46458.html
BBC traffic information says:
A483 Wrexham - A483 in Halton closed and queueing traffic in both directions between Halton Roundabout and Ruabon, because of a serious police incident. Diversion in operation - local. Congestion to J2, B5426 (Johnstown) and on A5 to Gledrid Roundabout.
More on the story from the Oswestry Advertizer's website ...
http://www.bordercountiesadvertizer.co.uk/news/136433/man-falls-from-bypass-bridge-near-chirk.aspx#.U9-CrkjYFzc.twitter
World War 1 commemoration held
* The Rev Andrew Sully of St Collen’s Church, who led prayers,
and the bugler from Llangollen Silver Band, Iestyn Watkin, during the service.
A service to mark the 100th anniversary of Britain’s
involvement in World War 1 on August 4, 1914 was held by Llangollen branch of
the Royal British Legion at the town’s war memorial this morning (Monday).
A bugler from Llangollen Silver Band sounded the traditional
Last Post and Reveille as standards were paraded and the Rev Andrew Sully, of St Collen’s
Church, said a short prayer.
The ceremony followed a service in St Collen’s Church.
This evening at 10.50pm there is due to be a further informal gathering at the
war memorial.
World War One centenary events today
Llangollen branch of the Royal British Legion has asked llablogger to display this poster giving details of today's special event to mark the centenary of the start of the First World War:
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