
Work begins on fire safety scheme at Flint high-rise flats
The project, backed by Welsh Government funding, will see significant upgrades to passive and active fire safety systems at Richard Heights, Bolingbroke Heights and Castle Heights, in Flint.
The 12-month programme which started in April will deliver enhanced fire protection measures for over 270 homes and build on the council's work to safeguard its residents.
Councillor Helen Brown, cabinet member for housing and communities, said: 'We welcome this vital investment from Welsh Government and are pleased that we are able to carry out this work for our residents.
'This project represents a major milestone in Flintshire's commitment to building safety.
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"Our priority is always the safety and wellbeing of our tenants, and these improvements will provide enhanced protection and peace of mind to residents living in our high-rise sheltered schemes.'
The project will be delivered by Wynne Construction through the North Wales Construction Partnership, supporting high-quality and locally focused delivery.
By appointing a Welsh contractor, the majority of the investment will stay in Wales, contributing to local employment, skills development and the wider economy.

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Wales Online
7 hours ago
- Wales Online
Five images and a map showing what the first stage of Cardiff's £100m tram system will look like
Five images and a map showing what the first stage of Cardiff's £100m tram system will look like One part of Cardiff is set to be transformed as the Welsh capital welcomes its first trams in generations An image of how Cardiff's new tram network will look Public transport in Cardiff is set to be transformed in the coming years as the city welcomes its first trams in a generation and sees a new railway station open off Newport Road. The city council has released five images showing how the first phase of Cardiff's new tram system will look when it opens, which is expected to be in 2028. Funding has been agreed with the Welsh and UK governments for the £100m first phase of what is being called Cardiff Crossrail and will see tram-trains run on the street from Central station down to the Bay. The plans will see some re-routing of traffic around Callaghan Square, which is the route the trams will take from central station down to the Bay. The map below shows the route the trams will take as they leave from a new two-platform stop in what is now the car park on the south side of Central station. Article continues below They will then head down across a new tramway on Callaghan Square before joining the existing train line which takes services from Queen Street to the Bay, where there will be an additional platform. Traffic and tram routes in the city centre under the plans (Image: Cardiff council / Transport for Wales ) In the longer-term, the hope is that the tram train route will be extended in both directions. To the south, the plan is for it to continue first to a new stop at Pierhead Street. Further stages of the scheme could then see the track continue further through future commuter stops in east Cardiff to ultimately link up again with the south Wales mainline. To the west, the hope is that a short piece of linking track will be built to enable tram trains to continue onto the existing rail network so services can run further afield and to future additional stops in heavily-populated areas. However, these longer-term visions are dependent on future funding which is not thought to be included in the Chancellor's £445m spending commitment in last week's spending review. An image of how Cardiff's new tram network will look in Callaghan Square The Chancellor's announcement did include funding for a junction at Cardiff west, which is integral to enabling the future plans by allowing an increase on the number of services able to run on the City and Coryton lines to four an hour. The plan is for the first phase of the new tram link running from Cardiff Central Station to Cardiff Bay to become operational by the summer of 2028. Cardiff council said tram-trains would be operating in time for football matches being staged at the Principality Stadium for the UEFA 2028 European Championships. Cardiff council's transport boss Dan De'Ath said: 'Cardiff Crossrail is a bold and ambitious plan to deliver a new tram system for the city - one that will eventually stretch from the northwest to the east, connecting with the proposed Parkway Station. "With further investment, we aim to create a reliable, affordable cross-city tram service that links some of Cardiff's most underserved communities to the rail network for the first time." The council's hoped-for timeline would see work start this summer on initial enabling work, a detailed design completed by the end of the year. Further construction would take place in 2026. Dan Tipper, Transport for Wales' chief infrastructure officer, said: 'Our ambition is that the new tramway will contribute towards a more sustainable transport network for Cardiff, which will encourage more people to leave their cars at home and instead choose more sustainable ways to travel. 'We're grateful for the contributions we received from our communities in the public consultation which was held back in autumn. This feedback will be vital in helping us shape this project so we can deliver a public tramway that people are proud of.' Cardiff Crossrail phase one. Image from the Urbanist. Article continues below UK Government Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander said: 'This project marks real progress in delivering better, greener transport for Cardiff. Crossrail will make it easier for people to get around the city and open up new opportunities for jobs, business and growth. 'We're serious about improving transport in every corner of the UK as part of our Plan for Change which is why we're investing at least £445m into rail projects alone in north and south Wales. With phase one set to complete in 2028, Cardiff is on track for a stronger, better-connected future.' Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said: 'Cardiff Cross Rail is an ambitious and innovative project connecting the city centre with the Bay. I am pleased that Cardiff Council are now pressing ahead with the legal orders to make the scheme a reality.'

Leader Live
7 hours ago
- Leader Live
Flintshire teacher's Welsh tutoring in maths, science and biology
Recognising local demand for tutoring delivered in Welsh outweighed existing provisions, Dafydd Jones, from Hawarden, founded Tiwtora ATOM in January 2024, offering personalised tutoring in maths, science, and biology, for Welsh-speaking learners. Qualified teacher Dafydd, turned to Business Wales for vital support in structuring and launching his venture that directly aligned with the Welsh Government's Cymraeg 2050 goal to support and facilitate a million Welsh speakers by 2050. Read more: Report has headteacher "exceptionally proud" of Wrexham school Business Wales Adviser, Gwawr Cordiner, played a pivotal role in guiding Dafydd through the initial phases of business development, helping him identify effective paths to achieve his company's objectives. He benefited from one-to-one guidance and workshops covering essential business skills such as financial management, administration, and strategic planning. Thanks to the comprehensive support Business Wales provides to companies, Dafydd has successfully established and rapidly grown Tiwtora ATOM into a viable and sustainable service offering focused learning for Key Stage 3, 4, and 5, specifically designed for Welsh-speaking students. Read more: Paper mill supports Flintshire schools with donation and site visit Speaking about the inspiration for his service and the Business Wales support that made its creation possible, Dafydd said: "Tiwtora ATOM was born from my desire to make a meaningful impact on students who need extra academic support, particularly Welsh speakers who may find fewer tutoring options. I want to give each student a personalised experience where they can thrive without the pressure often associated with traditional classroom settings." "Since our initial communication, Gwawr has been a rock of support for me. She listened to me and my thoughts about the kind of service I wanted to provide from the beginning, and she supported them. That greatly increased my self-confidence." Read more: Report reflects "care, hard work and dedication" at Flintshire school Dafydd took part in several Business Wales webinars to support entrepreneurs to gain valuable insights into the fundamentals and practicalities of business ownership, including 'Start and Run Your Own Business' and 'Managing Your Finances and Taxes'. Dafydd added: "Gwawr took the time to understand my objectives and skill set before making recommendations that enabled me to rapidly acquire and hone the abilities I would need to launch my company. "She has been instrumental in helping me navigate the challenges of running a business, especially the administrative side. Their guidance has made it much easier for me to get started and feel confident in my decision to go self-employed." Read more: From homeless mum to award-winning Flintshire business owner Dafydd plans to hire additional staff ahead of the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham, allowing him to focus on further developing the business and expanding Tiwtora ATOM's ability to deliver a positive impact for Welsh-speaking students. Business Wales Adviser Gwawr Cordiner said: "By offering his services in the Welsh language, he has a real niche that other similar businesses in the area don't have. This may seem strange considering the level of love and use of Cymraeg in Flintshire, which is clear to see from the scale of customer demand Dafydd has experienced. Read more: "Dynamic" Flintshire headteacher "immensely proud" after Estyn inspection visit "It's rewarding to know that the services we provide exclusively to Welsh companies are directly supporting the crucial Cymraeg 2025 target to create a million Welsh speakers. Passionate teachers and entrepreneurs like Dafydd are key to achieving that goal, and I look forward to further supporting the continued growth Tiwtora ATOM. "I hope other Welsh entrepreneurs both follow Dafydd's example in supporting our Welsh language and understand that they have ready access to expert business support that simply isn't available in other nations." • Business Wales is funded by Welsh Government. For more information and support, visit: or call 03000 6 03000.


Wales Online
8 hours ago
- Wales Online
Transport for Wales rail passenger numbers soar
Transport for Wales rail passenger numbers soar Latest figures from the Office for Road and Rail show that a huge rise to 31.3 million and the highest percentage rise for any UK rail operator A Transport for Wales (TFW) train at Cardiff Central Station. (Image: Matthew Horwood ) Transport for Wales (TfW) has seen the biggest percentage rise in passenger numbers of any train operator in the UK, new official figures show. TfW, which operates the Wales and Borders network, saw passenger journey numbers climb 19% from April 2024 to the end of March to 31.3 million on a year earlier. Of the 24 train operators assessed by the Office for Road and Rail (ORR), the second highest year-on-year increase was experienced by TransPennine Express, up 17% to 27.5 million and CrossCountry (whose services operate in Wales) up 15% to 37.8 million. The significant increase by TfW comes it starts to reap the benefits of the £800m of new trains across its network funded by the Welsh Government. Welsh retail footfall numbers fell in May READ MORE: Its services also operate in England, including a popular Cardiff to Manchester route. Its passenger numbers will accelerate in the future as it introduces a fleet of 35 new tram-trains on the south Wales Metro. A fully operational turn-up-and-go tram train network is expected to be fully operational by next year. The ORR figures show that the number of kilometres travelled by TfW passengers also grew 13% to 1.2 billion. TFW is the transport body of Welsh Government. Its executive director for customer and communications, Lewis Brencher, said: "The latest ORR figures are a result of the significant investment and years of hard work which are now coming to fruition, with more brand-new trains in service, new and increased services, improvements in our stations and easier and cheaper ways to pay for tickets. Article continues below "The improvements in the reliability and punctuality of our new trains, part of an £800m investment on behalf of the Welsh Government, and the better on-board customer experience are attracting more and more people to travel on the Wales and Borders network and we are proud to be the fastest growing train operating company in the UK." Like many train operators, TfW receives a public subsidy (from the Welsh Government). With its revenues increasing from fares there is potential, particularly via a turn-up-and-go Metro network, to see that subsidy reduced over the long-term. With increased services the Metro network is targeting growing passengers from ten million to 12 million per annum. However, one of the main inhibitors to growth beyond that is the fact that on the parts of the network with the highest population density, the City and Coryton Lines that running through Cardiff, the £1bn Metro electrification programme will see no uplift on the current number of services of just two per hour. In her spending review last week Rachel Reeves committed to funding a Cardiff west junction and TfW being assigned £48m for rail enhancement on the Core Valley Lines, that if deployed for a loop on the Coryton Line, that would allow for four trains an hour on both lines. Both projects would be key in helping to see passenger numbers on the Metro network moving upwards towards 20 million per annum. For the UK as a whole the ORR figures show that 1.73 billion journeys were made by rail passengers in Great Britain - up 7% (1.61 billion) on the previous year. The number of passengers was just below the pre-pandemic (2018-19) level of 1.75 billion. From April 2024 to March 2025, passenger revenues for all the train operators assessed was £11.5bn, up on the £10.6bbn in the previous year Revenues were below the £12.9bn generated pre-pandemic) (April 2019 to March 2020). Passenger revenue has been impacted by inflation over the last four years. Recently, the cap for annual regulated fare increases has been set at values below the Retail Price Index (RPI) measure of inflation, which means in real terms the cost of tickets has decreased. Article continues below Govia Thameslink Railway carried the biggest number of passengers with 298 million (up 10%) followed by the Elizabeth Line with 242.9 million (also up 10%). Operator of Paddington to South Wales services, Great Western Railway, handled 89 million passengers (up 8%).