Latest news with #ChrisPope
South Wales Argus
7 days ago
- South Wales Argus
Severn Bridge weight limit is being enforced say officials
The body responsible for the suspension bridge that connects Wales and England, via the M48 from Chepstow to Aust, was responding to the latest photograph of a lorry that appears to be over the 7.5 tonne limit crossing it emerged. National Highways has said it working with police and other bodies to uphold the ban introduced at the end of May and says it has installed automatic number plate recognition, ANPR, cameras and held a recent enforcement day on the crossing. Chris Pope, of National Highways, said: 'The numbers of vehicles breaching the ban is a small percentage and we are working with local police, through Operation Wolverine, as well as the DVSA and The Traffic Commissioner to prevent infringements and ensure that HGV drivers flouting the ban are dealt with.' He was responding after a photograph of a building supplies tanker crossing the bridge, from Chepstow, was taken on Monday, August 4. Before the temporary weight limit was put in place it was estimated around 10 per cent, or just over 3,200, of the 32,000 vehicle that cross it every day were HGVs over 7.5 tonnes. An enforcement day to support the implementation of the 7.5 tonne weight limit on the M48 Severn Bridge. Picture: National Highways. Drivers failing to abide by the restriction face a potential three penalty points and a £100 fine. Chepstow Bulwark and Thornwell councillor Armand Watts, who has constantly raised concerns over the impact of the weight restriction and how it is being managed, said the photograph raises doubts over its enforcement. He has been seeking information on the use of the ANPR cameras, while in July Monmouthshire councillors were told the cameras are in use but 'success' would depend on the back office capacity of Avon and Somerset Police which has responsibility for the Severn Bridge and the second Severn Crossing Prince of Wales Bridge. Labour's councillor Watts, who also raised his concern policing the restriction could be an additional burden on police, said: 'I've not seen any police at the bridge the last couple of weeks but they've probably got crimes to solve.' Officers from Gwent Police and vehicle licensing agencies were part of the enforcement day. Mr Pope, of the UK Government agency National Highways, said it has installed ANPR cameras, with enforcement supported by Avon and Somerset, while Gwent Police is conducting patrols to catch drivers who ignore the weight restriction. 'Operation Wolverine with Gwent Police is running for three months, and ANPR cameras have also now been installed at either end of the structure. We continue to work at pace with Avon and Somerset Police as we transition from physical enforcement to predominately digital via ANPR cameras,' said Mr Pope. 'There is extensive signage on the approach to the bridge and we have worked hard to raise awareness of the need for the ban including briefing hauliers, Logistics UK and the Road Haulage Association. The weight restrictions are essential to future-proof the bridge and hauliers must observe the signs and take an alternative route if their HGV is over 7.5 tonnes.'
Associated Press
18-06-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Montana governor vetoes community solar bill
Gov. Greg Gianforte on June 13 vetoed a bill that sought to establish a legal framework for community solar projects in Montana. Senate Bill 188 sponsor Chris Pope, D-Bozeman, argued before his colleagues at the Capitol that his proposal would expand access to locally generated, emissions-free power that would lower power bills for participants. He also argued that SB 188 would address utility companies' cries for additional power sources to meet growing demand and improve the grid's resilience to extreme weather events. The community solar projects envisioned by Pope would have created a voluntary framework for participants to own a 'share' of a solar array that feeds power into a monopoly utility-owned transmission system. Power generated by the project reduces the participants' monthly bills. SB 188 drew more than 20 proponents in legislative hearings and three opponents: Montana-Dakota Utilities, the monopoly utility that provides electricity and natural gas service to eastern Montana; NorthWestern Energy, the shareholder owned company currently asking the state's utility board to increase its electricity customers' base rates by $156.5 million in the name of safely, affordably and reliably meeting growing electricity demand; and Consumer Energy Alliance, a Houston-based organization partially funded by fossil fuel companies. SB 188 passed the Legislature with 100 of Montana's 150 representatives and senators in support of the measure. Since it garnered green votes from more than two-thirds of the lawmakers present for the final legislative votes, the Secretary of State will send out a veto override poll that gives lawmakers the opportunity to overcome a governor's resistance to a given bill. Such overrides are rare when done by mailed poll, and would take support from two-thirds of lawmakers to succeed. In his veto letter, Gianforte zeroed in on SB 188's mechanism for establishing a credit to offset a solar share purchaser's monthly utility bill. SB 188 would have given the Montana Public Service Commission the ability to create a credit structure for subscribers to a community solar project. The PSC is the state's elected utility board tasked with balancing monopoly utilities' financial health with the needs of their captive customer bases. Gianforte wrote that there's a variety of methodologies to calculate a credit rate, including using avoided cost — the money a utility doesn't have to spend buying or building additional kilowatts of energy by virtue of having new solar arrays on the grid. Gianforte wrote that it is 'impossible to predict' how the PSC would implement SB 188 and it could result in 'unreasonable costs' being levied upon utility customers that don't opt into a shared solar project. 'Furthermore, regardless of the credit rate the PSC sets, there is a high likelihood special interest groups and other activists will sue, seeking higher credit rates from the judicial branch,' Gianforte wrote. Pope, along with a variety of renewable energy advocates, expressed dismay with Gianforte's decision, arguing that customers are eager to secure relief from rising utility bills. Montana is turning down economic development opportunities, they said. 'I think the governor has been ill-advised,' Pope told Montana Free Press on June 16. 'This doesn't have anything to do with avoided costs, and it doesn't have anything to do with the credits. … There are a lot of confusing statements in the governor's veto that don't square with the 23 other states that are doing this and the nine electricity co-ops (in Montana) that are implementing this framework. … This is a missed opportunity.' The Montana Renewable Energy Association issued a joint statement June 16 with the Coalition for Community Solar Access, saying they're 'confounded' by the veto and disappointed that Gianforte 'chose to disregard the industry's direct commitments to responsible program implementation.' 'In a formal letter to the Public Service Commission, the developer community voluntarily outlined clear guardrails for the program — including support for cost containment and a pledge to advocate for solely economic considerations in future ratemakings,' the groups wrote. 'These proactive steps were designed specifically to address concerns about PSC authority and potential cost impacts.' Scott Sweeney, a member of the Northern Plains Resource Council who testified in support of the bill, wrote in a statement issued on June 17 that he's 'stunned' by the veto. 'Montanans are facing tough economic challenges while our state's largest utility, NorthWestern Energy, continues to raise rates and abuse its monopoly position,' said Sweeney, who formerly served as the general manager of the Fergus Electric Cooperative. 'Gov. Gianforte is clearly out of touch, and this veto puts the interests of wealthy, corporate energy executives above the needs of Montana's families, small business owners, farmers and ranchers.' Derek Goldman with NW Energy Coalition underscored that the proposal would have ensured that 'all customers — not just those who own homes with ideal rooftops — can benefit from affordable renewable energy' in Montana. Goldman noted that community solar projects in Oregon and Washington have had no trouble finding subscribers. Pope, who sponsored similar legislation that was defeated early in the legislative process in 2023, said he will be meeting with the coalition that worked to develop and advance SB 188 to talk about next steps for community solar in Montana. ___ This story was originally published by Montana Free Press and distributed through a partnership with The Associated Press.
Forbes
09-06-2025
- Health
- Forbes
This Groundbreaking Insurance Reform Is Buried In The Big, Beautiful Bill
"The legislative package would codify and expand Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement ... More Arrangements, which the first Trump administration introduced in 2019," writes health policy expert Sally Pipes. There are more than 40 healthcare provisions in the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) that passed the House of Representatives by a one-vote margin last month. One, in particular, deserves more attention than it is getting. The legislative package would codify and expand Individual Coverage Health Reimbursement Arrangements, which the first Trump administration introduced in 2019. ICHRAs allow employers to give workers untaxed dollars, which they can use to purchase health insurance on the individual market. In many ways, ICHRAs are the health insurance equivalent of retirement accounts to which employers make defined contributions. These accounts have the potential to make health insurance more accessible and affordable for not just employees but employers, too. As the Manhattan Institute's Chris Pope notes in a recent study on ICHRAs, 117 million Americans between the ages of 19 and 64 received insurance from employers in 2023. Just 16 million bought insurance on the individual market. In some ways, this makes sense. Employer-sponsored health insurance is familiar. Enrolling in an employer plan spares workers the hassle of having to navigate the individual market. But today, health insurance is actually cheaper on the individual market than when purchased by employers. So employers embracing ICHRAs could save themselves and their employees a lot of money. And by putting individuals in charge of their own health insurance needs, ICHRAs can unleash the kind of market forces that help drive down costs and improve value in every other sector of the economy. People are more responsive to market signals when they are enrolled in individual market plans. One study found that a 1% premium increase leads to a 1.7% drop in individual market plan enrollment. By contrast, a 1% premium increase in the employer market causes enrollment to drop by between 0.2% and 0.8%. This finding reveals one of the main problems with employer-sponsored insurance—it obscures the cost of health coverage. Employees have no incentive to seek out more affordable providers or services when someone else is paying the bill. Providers are aware of this market dynamic, which means they are constantly, as Pope puts it, 'needlessly inflating costs.' That's why, he goes on to note, 'Starbucks spends more on health care for its workers than it does on coffee.' Increased adoption of ICHRAs would disrupt this status quo. Employers' costs would decline. Employees spending their ICHRA money would have a strong incentive to pick a health plan that suits their needs and budget, rather than the one-size-fits-all plan that most employers offer now. And by putting consumers in charge of their own healthcare dollars, ICHRAs could foster the kind of competition among both insurers and providers that drives down costs and improves value over the long term. One study found that expanding the number of plan options for employees can provide benefits equal to 13% of premiums. Decoupling health insurance and employment has a number of downstream benefits for workers of all stripes. For instance, it encourages entrepreneurship by giving people the security to leave their jobs without fear of losing health coverage. And it offers a suitable coverage option for part-time workers, only 26% of whom currently receive health insurance from their employers. ICHRAs could also make it more financially realistic for small businesses to offer health benefits. Just 56% of those who work for firms with fewer than 50 employees get an offer of insurance through their jobs. Cost is typically the chief impediment. ICHRAs would help remove that barrier. These accounts have only been around for five years. But Americans are waking up to their benefits. Around 500,000 people were enrolled in ICHRAs in 2023. The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimates that around 2 million workers will be enrolled in these plans by 2032. And that's if nothing else changes. If the big, beautiful bill passes as written, it will rebrand ICHRAs as CHOICE plans—a less confusing acronym that experts hope will encourage more businesses to adopt them. After codifying Trump's ICHRA rule in law, lawmakers could consider something like Pope's proposal for a Worker's Choice ICHRA, which would allow employers to offer both ICHRAs and traditional insurance plans by guaranteeing coverage parity between the options. Americans deserve more choice in their health benefits. Expanding access to ICHRAs would give it to them.
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Severn Bridge ban could have 'huge knock-on effect' for drivers using the M4
An expert has warned that motorists using the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge could face more delays as a result of the closure of the M48 Severn Bridge to certain heavy goods vehicles. The ban, which stops any vehicles weighing more than 7.5 tonnes using the bridge, will come into force for at least 12 months from Tuesday (May 27). The decision to ban hauliers was made after National Highways discovered the cables supporting the structure are deteriorating. From Tuesday, hauliers will be redirected to the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge, generating concerns that it will have a "huge knock-on effect for other road users". Last year, the Severn Bridge carried roughly 32,000 vehicles a day - 3,270 of which were over 7.5t. This means that around 10 per cent of traffic will be diverted via the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge once the restrictions are in place. READ MORE: Council crews to search bins and hand £70 fines to rule-breakers READ MORE: Tesco customers now have to push a button to access one product car insurance expert Rhydian Jones said: "With HGVs being redirected to the M4 Severn Bridge instead, this is likely to have a huge knock-on effect for other road users, resulting in heavier traffic and delays on that popular route. "The M4 is already one of the busiest links between Wales and England, used daily by commuters, airport travellers, and delivery drivers. "With more large vehicles joining that route, drivers should plan for slower journeys, particularly during rush hour or busy travel periods." He said that drivers should consider leaving extra time for their journeys, check for travel updates and avoid travelling at peak times when possible. He added: "The impact could also be especially noticeable for those heading to airports like Bristol or Heathrow. "So planning ahead will be key to avoiding last-minute stress, especially if you're working to tight schedules like flight times." The weight restriction has been implemented to ensure that two lanes on the M48 bridge can remain open to all other vehicles, ensure the safety of the bridge, and reduce the load on the cables. Chris Pope, Programme Delivery Manager for National Highways, said: "Safety is our number one priority, and this weight restriction is about future-proofing the bridge for years to come. "While the bridge remains safe, it was not designed and built for today's levels or weight of traffic. "Vehicles have become heavier and traffic levels have increased significantly over the last 60 years, putting greater load on the cables. "As with all our structures, we will continue to monitor the bridge and ensure it remains safe for users." For our free daily briefing on the biggest issues facing the nation, sign up to the Wales Matters newsletter here The Severn Bridge first opened nearly 60 years ago, and has had to deal with ever-increasing vehicle weights and traffic numbers. Since the tolls were removed on the bridge in 2018 there has been a 34% increase in traffic, and these changes mean a substantial increase in weight over the bridge, which it was not designed for, National Highways said. Results of assessments of the bridge were finalised in December and revealed that the main cables are deteriorating and not as strong. Due to these results, it was recommended National Highways reduce the load on the bridge to minimise further damage. Chris added: "We'd like to thank drivers for their support and must stress that only heavy goods vehicles below 7.5 tonnes in weight should use the bridge. "Continued use of the bridge by heavier vehicles could ultimately see it closed to all traffic. We are acting now to prevent this from happening." The M48 Severn Bridge will remain open to all emergency vehicles, buses, coaches, gritters and recovery vehicles. If there is an unplanned closure of the Prince of Wales bridge, vehicles over 7.5t will need to follow the official diversion route via the M5 and the M50. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras are being explored to support the enforcement of the new weight restriction.
Scottish Sun
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Scottish Sun
Busy bridge used by over 30,000 drivers a day CLOSES to heavy vehicles next month in ‘devastating move'
Truck drivers worry that the move could cause "immense" damage to their business, especially if the alternative bridge is closed SHUT DOWN Busy bridge used by over 30,000 drivers a day CLOSES to heavy vehicles next month in 'devastating move' A MAJOR route into Wales will ban heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in a move drivers say will cost them 'immensely.' The M48 River Severn Bridge will ban vehicles over 7.5 tonnes for 18 months from 27 May after cables supporting the historic structure were found to be deteriorating. 3 The Severn Bridge at sunset- built in 1966 it was not designed to take the weight of modern HGVs Credit: Getty 3 An areal photo of the two bridges in 2006 Credit: Getty - Contributor Instead, they will be forced to make a lengthy detour via the M4 Prince of Wales Bridge, which a director of a Haulage company warned was unreliable. National Highways has claimed it has 'no choice' but to block the heaviest trucks as its main priority is to protect public safety. But James Burton, director of M&J Transport, told BBC Radio Bristol that the impact on his industry could be 'devastating.' He argued that if the proposed alternative, the Prince of Wales bridge, shut down due to bad weather or a crash it woud it would completely cut off HGVS from the Severn crossing. He said: "They've not put any plans or any thought into what's going to happen when it gets busy in the summer, or if there's any closures. The cost to the industry and the cost to us personally would be immense," he said. Chris Pope, from National Highways, said that if they didn't ban HGVs, they would be forced to close it completely. He said: 'We want to keep the bridge running for people, but the solution we have found is that we've managed to keep it open for 90% of people. "It is safe, it's all about loading, and unfortunately, we are in a position where about 85% of the loading that the main suspension cables are carrying is actually the bridge itself." Caroline Tovey of Richard Tovery Transport pointed out that the new route already forces drivers on a 14-mile detour. 3 The bridge supports the M48 from Gloucestershire to Wales Credit: Alamy She added that some areas may find "large vehicles being rerouted through their communities". "It isn't just about the money, it's about infrastructure that isn't used to (HGVs)." Claire Young, MP for Thornbury and Yate, told the BBC it would cost between £300million to £600million to strengthen the bridge to take the current load of HGVs. She argues that the infrastructure dates to the sixties, and that vehicles and traffic have got heavier. She said: "It has the potential to really impact the local economy. The government says its top priority is growth. If we are going to have that, we need the infrastructure to support it."
