Latest news with #CatrinMaby
South Wales Argus
25-05-2025
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Speed camera van could be answer to traffic in Llangybi
A local councillor has asked that traffic calming measures be considered to address speeding in Llangybi in Monmouthshire but the councillor responsible suggested a camera van could be the most suitable solution. Councillor Catrin Maby, Momouthshire council's Labour cabinet member responsible for highways, said it was 'disappointing' other attempts to address speeding through the village, including signs showing drivers their speed, hadn't been successful. The Drybridge councillor told the council's May meeting she would ask officers to request the Go Safe speed camera partnership van return to the village. 'Beyond that it's really hard to know what physical measures would be acceptable and I know they can be unpopular and require capital investment. 'The first thing to do is try and get Go Safe to come back, it might be the fastest and most efficient answer.' Conservative Fay Bromfield, who represents Llangybi, thanked council officers for work to address speeding in the area but said data shows it has had a 'limited impact' on reducing speed in the village where there are 30 mile per hour and 60mph limits. She asked if Cllr Maby would attend a meeting to hear the case for traffic calming mesures from residents and also asked for a seminar for councillors with the camera partnership. The cabinet member said she would 'really look forward' to attending a meeting but would also like the Go Safe partnership to attend 'so I'm not stood there saying it's someone else's responsibility.' Cllr Maby said she could ask for a seminar to be arranged while Conservative councillor for Usk and Llanbadoc said he's already requested the public services committee hold a meeting with the partnership.
South Wales Argus
07-05-2025
- General
- South Wales Argus
Monmouthshire County Hall swift tower cost confirmed
The steel pole is fitted with bird boxes for up to 12 pairs of swifts and speakers to play the 'call of the swift' at key times just after dawn and dusk to attract the birds to use the nesting spaces in the grounds of Monmouthshire County Council's headquarters in Usk. The 'Swift Tower' is also intended to be a 'prominent piece of art' to highlight the 'iconic, declining urban bird, and to inspire individuals to take action to help swifts and other urban nature' and highlight how the council is is supporting nature recovery across the county. The cost of the tower as well as design costs and planning permission was covered by funding from the UK Government's Shared Prosperity Fund which awarded funding for the Gwent Green Grid project in 2024/25. Monmouthshire County Council said the cost for the tower was £18,500 though that figure doesn't include VAT. Councillor Catrin Maby, the council's Labour cabinet member for the environment, said: 'This swift tower is an excellent way to ensure that we continue to see breeding pairs at County Hall for many years to come. 'Hopefully it can prove to be a small step towards the recovery of swift populations in the near future.' Monmouthshire County Council hopes to support further swift project work through Welsh Government Local Places for Nature funding during 2025 to 2027. The tower is in the 'Incredible Edible' community garden area, which is open to the public, within the grounds of Monmouthshire County Council's headquarters at The Rhadyr also known as County Hall. The site has been selected as the best option for Usk, as it will be noticeable to swifts passing as they feed along the river Usk. Swifts had been using J Block at County Hall, before an adjoining walkway was built in 2018. They nest almost exclusively in buildings, making use of holes to raise their young, but are losing nesting sites with old buildings being renovated to improve insulation or demolished. Swifts pair for life, returning to the same nest site each year but have recently been put on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern as populations across the UK have declined by 58 per cent since 1995, and 75 per cent in Wales. Monmouthshire County Council's planning department, which had to approve the structure, had caused confusion over the source of funding as it stated it was from the Welsh Government.
South Wales Argus
01-05-2025
- General
- South Wales Argus
Usk County Hall has six-metre swift tower installed
The tower, which is part of the Gwent Green Grid Shared Prosperity Funding, has been set up to help the declining swift population. The tower, which was installed at the Incredible Edible community garden, has bird boxes for up to 12 pairs of swifts. It will provide additional nesting spaces for swifts and other urban nature, to help address the long-term loss of traditional nest sites in buildings. The tower will also serve as a piece of art to inform residents and visitors about the declining urban bird. The swift population in the UK has declined by 58 per cent since 1995, with a 75 per cent decline in Wales. They have recently been put on the Red List of Birds of Conservation Concern. Swifts mostly nest in buildings, but renovations and demolitions have caused them to lose their nesting sites. The swift tower is one way to help these birds. Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) has a Local Nature Recovery Action Plan to help reverse the decline in biodiversity. Councillor Catrin Maby, cabinet member for climate change and the environment, said: "Swifts are on the red list due to declining numbers and so it is vital that we do what we can to support them. "This swift tower is an excellent way to ensure that we continue to see breeding pairs at County Hall for many years to come. "Hopefully it can prove to be a small step towards the recovery of swift populations in the near future." Monmouthshire County Council hopes to support further swift project work through the Welsh Government Local Places for Nature funding during 2025-2027. Anyone who would like to find out more or get involved, can email LocalNature@
South Wales Argus
27-04-2025
- South Wales Argus
Monmouthshire County Council gets £8m in transport funds
This money, which cannot be used for road maintenance, will be used for various projects across the county. The funding comes from the Welsh Government's Active Travel Fund, Local Transport Fund, Resilient Roads Fund, Road Safety Capital & Revenue, and Safe Routes in Communities. The projects set to benefit from this funding include bus infrastructure, road safety training, 20mph infrastructure, collision reduction schemes, and active travel. The majority of the funding, £6.5 million, comes from the Active Travel Fund and will be used for the Abergavenny to Llanfoist project. Councillor Catrin Maby, cabinet member for climate change and the environment, said: "It is encouraging to have agreed funding for so many transport projects across Monmouthshire. "Each one will help to make transport more efficient for communities in all corners of the county." Councillor Sara Burch, cabinet member for rural affairs, housing and tourism, added: "We know how important this scheme is to provide safe connections within the community."
BBC News
17-02-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Monmouthshire: No 20mph roads to return to 30mph, council says
A council has rejected calls to raise the default 20mph speed limit on a number of roads in council said it had conducted a comprehensive review of 20mph speed limits after residents flagged up 143 roads where they felt a return to the 30mph limit was more roads were selected to be reassessed, with the authority concluding the lower speed limits should remain in the decision Catrin Maby, Monmouthshire council's cabinet member for climate change and the environment, said: "The council's top priority is the safety of all our residents and visitors." "The reassessment concluded that all roads changed to a 20mph speed limit will remain at that limit," she council said it selected four roads for reassessment - the B4245 through Magor, Undy, Rogiet, and Caldicot, Hereford Road in Abergavenny, the A4143 in Abergavenny and the A4077 Abergavenny Road and Cae Meldon in said these roads had been reassessed against the Welsh government's updated guidance, which reiterated the importance of keeping vulnerable road users such as pedestrians and cyclists safe, while taking into account the road 1,500 responses were received from residents in Monmouthshire during the consultation. A review of the 20mph speed limit was announced by the Welsh government after significant public Minister Ken Skates previously said the decision to reverse parts of the controversial £34m default 20mph policy was in response to "consistent" concerns raised by "a lot of people".Updated guidance given to councils said there was no need to reassess all roads. The announcement by Monmouthshire council comes after Wrexham council approved plans for the speed limit to be raised back from 20mph to 30mph on more than 50 stretches of authority's executive board considered the results of a consultation in which 93% of respondents were in favour of returning road speeds to the conclusion of the Wrexham consultation, the campaign group "20's Plenty For Us" wrote on X: "Is that really a difficult decision? Saving children from death and injury or appeasing a few motorists."There are serious matters of life and death to be considered."The Welsh government said it expected most changes from 20mph to 30mph to be on A and B roads "which are typically main or strategic roads" and "away from places that attract frequent pedestrians".The new guidance came after a Senedd petition opposing the lower speed limit reached nearly 470,000 signatures - the most also took place, with protesters brandishing placards and Welsh government switched the default speed limit on mainly urban roads on 17 September 2023 and, with some exemptions, most 30mph roads became for the first year of the policy showed there had been about 100 fewer people killed or seriously injured on 20 and 30mph roads.
