Latest news with #Herefordshire
BBC News
6 hours ago
- Lifestyle
- BBC News
Hereford Rugby Club can run weekend events into early hours
A bid by Hereford Rugby Club to host events until 02:00 at weekends has been approved despite Council received 36 valid public objections to the change of licence application from residents. Its licensing sub-committee ruled on the case on 30 Polly Andrews, chairing the committee, said members had decided to allow the changes to the club's licence with amendments it had proposed. Licensed activities have been permitted until 23:00 at the grounds by the River Wye for the past four years, with extended hours until midnight on Friday and councillor Diana Toynbee said a previous late licence granted to the club in 2021 had led to "much increased nuisance".She said residents had accepted it but "2am is a completely different matter", adding: "I fear it would damage the relationship between the rugby club and the community." 'Destroy my peace' Kevin Tillett, councillor for Hinton and Hunderton across the river, said residents there would have objected had they known about the said: "This will cause a great deal of disturbance on both sides of the river until well after 2am."Resident Petra Moss told councillors: "I work on Saturdays and this would destroy my peace and quiet, and chance to get some sleep."The club's agent Nick Semper said it could already host late events under temporary event licences and a noise complaint line set up under the 2021 licence had "received no complaints", nor were any lodged with police or environmental club was "not insensitive" to objections and had proposed a limit on eight late-night outdoor events between May and August and a crowd dispersal policy, he club has already shared the proposals with objectors, he chairman Ivan Powell, a county councillor and cabinet member, said: "I have not been made aware of complaints about any activities at the club." This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service, which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
17 hours ago
- BBC News
More street lights and cameras to make towns safer for Herefordshire women
Street lights and CCTV cameras have been installed in areas highlighted as giving cause for concern over women's new equipment focuses on routes in Ross-on-Wye and Leominster, in Herefordshire. that women take home at high-risk areas were identified as giving cause for concern after police looked at crime statistics and Julie Watson, from Herefordshire Police, said keeping women and girls safe was a "key priority" for the West Mercia force and the new lights and cameras would help to achieve this. Some areas in the towns had suffered from antisocial behaviour, particularly towards women and girls, Herefordshire councillor Carole Gandy said, but they were now "much safer places".Funding came from the West Mercia police and crime commissioner John Campion and the two town councils. Mr Campion said police listened to the community to "target our resources where they would make the most difference". Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
a day ago
- General
- BBC News
Leominster crash train hit trailer at 80mph, investigators say
A passenger train that crashed into a trailer on the track in Herefordshire was travelling at about 80mph (129 km/h), investigators have said in initial the 66 passengers and eight staff members on the Transport for Wales Manchester to Cardiff train, six people were reportedly treated for minor injuries, the Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) train hit a loaded agricultural trailer that was being hauled by a tractor across a user-worked level crossing at Nordan Farm, near Leominster, on 22 said the tractor driver was not injured and had phoned a signaller before using the crossing. The RAIB will look at the actions of people involved and any previous incidents at the crossing as part of its investigation, with findings and any recommendations to be published later. 'Really loud bang' The crossing at Nordan Farm is fitted with telephones and users are directed by signs at the crossing to phone and get permission from the signaller before opening the crossing gates and crossing the railway, the RAIB said."Evidence available to RAIB shows that the driver of the tractor involved in this accident telephoned the signaller before using the crossing," a statement added. Investigators described how the crash caused the tractor and trailer to come apart, and how the trailer became wedged on the front of the train, which ran on for about 500 metres (0.3 miles) while braking, before it crash damaged the train, trailer, track, lineside equipment and another level crossing beyond Nordan Farm. Rail disruption hit the network for more than 24 hours, with the line blocked between Hereford and Shrewsbury, after the Transport Police arrested a 32-year-old man who was released under of the people who were injured were taken to hospital and later on board described a "really loud bang" as the train hit the trailer, leaving "debris everywhere".The level crossing takes a farm track across the railway lines and is only used by agricultural vehicles. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
West Mercia Police run VR sessions to keep older drivers safe
Drivers aged 65 and over have been invited to watch a virtual reality film to learn about how ageing can affect and the fire service have teamed up to run 10 sessions for mature drivers over the next five months across Herefordshire and Worcestershire, with dates for Shropshire still to be Stuart Bill of West Mercia Police said: "We've got a lot of rural country roads in West Mercia. We want to ensure our older drivers are as safe as possible."Police said the group discussions might also appeal to family members who had concerns for an older relative. At the first session in Redditch on Tuesday, a 78-year-old man called Gerald said he had begun to find driving more challenging, "avoiding these youngsters whizzing round who are quicker and faster than me".He said he now took longer to react to situations and found motorways more of a challenge. Sandra and Hazel said they signed up to feel more secure and their issues included boy racers, a lack of respect for slower drivers, impatient motorists and people who did not 65, said her concern was whether people's reactions were as good as they thought, while Pádraig, 66, said attitudes changed with age and older drivers tended to look out for things that those aged 17 or 18 did not. Supt Bill said older drivers were not unsafe and often had years of driving experience behind said, though health concerns needed to be considered, the force wanted "to keep people mobile".Police and Crime Commissioner John Campion said there were 34 deaths and 259 serious injuries across West Mercia between 2020 and 2024 involving drivers over said the virtual reality sessions used the latest technology to equip drivers with "the knowledge they need to stay safe". Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Hereford bypass scheme can begin in earnest, says finance leader
The long-awaited Hereford bypass scheme can now begin in earnest, a Herefordshire leader has council is due to approve next month what it calls "the procurement route to enable the Hereford Western Bypass to move to it's construction stage".The route will link the A465 and A49 southwest of the city with a second proposed phase across the River Wye and up the west side of the member for finance, councillor Pete Stoddart said diverting traffic out of the city will "let Hereford breathe again" and enable a more diverse transport mix within it. "Currently lorries come up the A465 into Hereford and out to Rotherwas," he said. "This will take 15% of traffic out of the city."Phase two, the bypass "proper" will then be "a growth corridor for employment as well as housing" – the case for which is only strengthened by the government's higher demands on the county to build more new homes, he said."We will meet that demand, but they have to help us provide the road and the infrastructure" – while the developers of all these new homes "will assist us in paying for the road", he to £30m has been earmarked this year alone on phase one with the council previously saying it hoped work would start by dismissed opposition parties' preferred option of an eastern crossing over the Wye as "a road to nowhere", adding: "From Rotherwas, most traffic wants to go north, not east."Councillor Terry James, leader of the Liberal Democrats in the county and supporter of the bypass, said he believed there was "a strong chance the government will fund the first phase", but added: "We have to show we are keen to do it anyway."Hereford Civic Society chairman Jeremy Milln, also a Hereford city councillor, said that aside from the cost, there remained "an awful lot of bureaucratic bridges to cross" before the bypass can the long timescales involved, there was a "lively possibility" that a different administration in the county following elections in 2027 could "rethink" the whole plan, as had previously current Green and Independents for Herefordshire groups were asked for comment. This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations. Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.
