Latest news with #Hirwaun
Daily Mail
08-08-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Car dealership goes bust leaving drivers with 'faulty' motors
Drivers have been left out of pocket after a car dealership went out of business. Customers have told of their frustration - and hundreds of pounds in debts - after the collapse of S W Valley Motor Company in Hirwaun, Aberdare, in South Wales. The complaints come as Citroen and parent company Stellantis face mounting pressure and criticism from a consumer group for failing owners of cars embroiled in a nationwide 'stop-drive' safety recall. Some 96,000 UK owners of Citroen C3 and DS3 models produced between 2009 and 2019 were informed at the end of June that their vehicles are unsafe due to faulty airbags that recently caused the death of a driver in France. On June 20, Stellantis UK issued an urgent stop-drive order for these models, telling owners to park them up until the lethal parts could be replaced - and to seek alternative transport in the meantime. Among those who have been affected is Trisha Walker, who received a letter from Citroen telling her to no longer drive her car because of the new safety fears. Rather than be left with no mode of transport, she took out a loan to buy a replacement vehicle online - and opted for an offer by SW Valley Motor Company. But despite handing over a deposit of £750 for the car valued at £1,495, she has told of being left without despite promises from a representative of the firm a month ago. Ms Walker told ITV News Wales : 'The following day came and what happened? No car. He said something had come up and he'd delivered it further into the day. 'I haven't slept. I've gone 26 hours without sleeping because I'm worried about how I'm going to pay the one back. I feel stupid - stupid for trusting people. 'I'm in debt - one, because of Citroen because we were left stranded as a lot of other people have been left stranded, but also this man has left me further in debt as well.' Another SW Valley Motor Company client raising concerns after the business's apparent collapse is Holly Evans, who says she and her partner handed over £2,700 for a car after giving it a test drive. She told how the vehicle began making a 'strange noise' several days later and the garage owner Matthew Peachey agreed to repair it. Ms Evans said: 'He took the car and then we never got the car back. We got the car on June 9, he came and picked it up on the June 16, I think, eventually and we've never seen it again.' She said Mr Peachey had made 'excuse after excuse' for why the car had not been returned. The Daily Mail has attempted to contact SW Valley Motor Company for comment. The firm's listed phone number is currently not in service. ITV Wales said Mr Peachey had not responded directly to their questions but had told them of having 'lost his business despite trying every which way to save it', with 'spiralling costs' making it 'impossible to keep the business going'. He is also said to have told of having cars being repossessed and he never 'set out to cause anybody any upset', the programme reported. Lisa Webb, consumer law group for advice group Which?, said: 'There are some limits to what you can actually do in these cases. 'But if you do end up handing over your money, the best way to pay in these sorts of circumstances is by credit card. 'If it's £100 or more that you're spending, use a credit card because you do have slightly better protections at getting your money back.' Amid the recent Citroen problem, its parent firm Stellantis last month told affected drivers to immediately stop driving their cars due to the risk of airbags rupturing in a collision. The manufacturer highlighted potential dangers of metal shards and shrapnel being fired into the bodies of drivers and passengers. Owners were urged to contact their dealer - or Stellantis's recall helpline - to arrange a free airbag replacement. The Daily Mail has been contacted by owners this week who have told us their cars are not booked in with dealers until October. And some customers have told Which? they have continued driving their cars despite the safety risks - and the fact it is illegal to do so. According to information given to the Daily Mail by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), ignoring a stop-drive order or any safety recall could result in legal repercussions. If involved in an accident, drivers could also face prosecution, fine, penalty points or a driving ban. Insurers could also refuse claims on the grounds that drivers are responsible for roadworthiness of their vehicles. Stellantis said all impacted Citroen models should be collected on the back of transporters or truck arranged by dealerships, or that mechanics visit owners' homes to carry out airbag replacements. It also informed the Daily Mail that Peugeot garages are now repairing recalled Citroens to accelerate the process, while the RAC - its official breakdown partner - is providing at-home airbag replacements too. A Stellantis spokesperson said: 'The company's focus remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible. 'Our Citroen network is fully engaged in maximising the number of cars that can be completed every day and, to increase our repair capacity even further and minimise as much as possible the impact on customers, our Peugeot network is now authorised to replace airbags on these cars in addition to at home options. 'For each and every customer, we discuss options to support mobility, recognising that every driver has specific requirements. These options include replacement airbags at a dealership or at home, courtesy car, support for other mobility options and recovery. We give priority to those with the most urgent needs.' A DVSA spokesman also commented: 'We are working with Citroen to make sure that everyone with these vehicles knows that they can't use this model of car until the necessary repair work has been carried out.' A Department for Transport spokesman added: 'We understand how frustrating these recalls are for those affected. 'The safety of those drivers and their families remains the Transport Secretary's top priority. She and the Future of Roads Minister are actively engaging with manufacturers and industry leaders to ensure any disruption is kept to an absolute minimum.'
Daily Mail
08-08-2025
- Automotive
- Daily Mail
Popular car dealership goes bust leaving thousands of drivers with 'faulty' motors - check if you're affected
Drivers have been left out of pocket after a car dealership went out of business. Customers have told of their frustration - and hundreds of pounds in debts - after the collapse of S W Valley Motor Company in Hirwaun, Aberdare, in south Wales. The complaints come as Citroen and parent company Stellantis face mounting pressure and criticism from a consumer group for failing owners of cars embroiled in a nationwide 'stop-drive' safety recall. Some 96,000 UK owners of Citroen C3 and DS3 models produced between 2009 and 2019 were informed at the end of June that their vehicles are unsafe due to faulty airbags that recently caused the death of a driver in France. On 20 June, Stellantis UK issued an urgent stop-drive order for these models, telling owners to park them up until the lethal parts could be replaced - and to seek alternative transport in the meantime. Among those who have been affected is Trisha Walker, who received a letter from Citroen telling her to no longer drive her car because of the new safety fears. Rather than be left with no mode of transport, she took out a loan to buy a replacement vehicle online - and opted for an offer by SW Valley Motor Company. But despite handing over a deposit of £750 for the car valued at £1,495, she has told of being left without despite promises from a representative of the firm a month ago. Ms Walker told ITV News Wales: 'The following day came and what happened? No car. He said something had come up and he'd delivered it further into the day. 'I haven't slept. I've gone 26 hours without sleeping because I'm worried about how I'm going to pay the one back. I feel stupid - stupid for trusting people. 'I'm in debt - one, because of Citroen because we were left stranded as a lot of other people have been left stranded, but also this man has left me further in debt as well.' Another SW Valley Motor Company client raising concerns after the business's apparent collapse is Holly Evans, who says she and her partner handed over £2,700 for a car after giving it a test drive. She told how the vehicle began making a 'strange noise' several days later and the garage owner Matthew Peachey agreed to repair it. Ms Evans said: 'He took the car and then we never got the car back. We got the car on 9 June, he came and picked it up on the 16th June, I think, eventually and we've never seen it again.' She said Mr Peachey had made 'excuse after excuse' for why the car had not been returned. Despite handing over a deposit of £750 for the car valued at £1,495, Trisha Walker has told of being left without despite promises from a representative of the firm a month ago Holly Evans says she and her partner handed over £2,700 for a car from SW Motor Company in Wales after giving it a test drive but have yet to got it back after it needed repairs MailOnline has attempted to contact SW Valley Motor Company for comment. The firm's listed phone number is currently not in service. ITV Wales said Mr Peachey had not responded directly to their questions but had told them of having 'lost his business despite trying every which way to save it', with 'spiralling costs' making it 'impossible to keep the business going'. He is also said to have told of having cars being repossessed and he never 'set out to cause anybody any upset', the programme reported. Lisa Webb, consumer law group for advice group Which?, said: 'There are some limits to what you can actually do in these cases. 'But if you do end up handing over your money, the best way to pay in these sorts of circumstances is by credit card. 'If it's £100 or more that you're spending, use a credit card because you do have slightly better protections at getting your money back.' Amid the recent Citroen problem, its parent firm Stellantis last month told affected drivers to immediately stop driving their cars due to the risk of airbags rupturing in a collision. The manufacturer highlighted potential dangers of metal shards and shrapnel being fired into the bodies of drivers and passengers. Owners were urged to contact their dealer - or Stellantis' recall helpline - to arrange a free airbag replacement. The Daily Mail has been contacted by owners this week who have told us their cars are not booked in with dealers until October. And some customers have told Which? they have continued driving their cars despite the safety risks - and the fact it is illegal to do so. According to information given to the Daily Mail by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), ignoring a stop-drive order or any safety recall could result in legal repercussions. If involved in an accident, drivers could also face prosecution, fine, penalty points or a driving ban. Insurers could also refuse claims on the grounds that drivers are responsible for roadworthiness of their vehicles. Stellantis said all impacted Citroen models should be collected on the back of transporters or truck arranged by dealerships, or that mechanics visit owners' homes to carry out airbag replacements. It also informed the Daily Mail that Peugeot garages are now repairing recalled Citroens to accelerate the process, while the RAC - its official breakdown partner - is providing at-home airbag replacements too. A Stellantis spokesperson said: 'The company's focus remains on completing the replacement of airbags in affected vehicles as swiftly as possible. 'Our Citroen network is fully engaged in maximising the number of cars that can be completed every day and, to increase our repair capacity even further and minimise as much as possible the impact on customers, our Peugeot network is now authorised to replace airbags on these cars in addition to at home options. 'For each and every customer, we discuss options to support mobility, recognising that every driver has specific requirements. These options include replacement airbags at a dealership or at home, courtesy car, support for other mobility options and recovery. We give priority to those with the most urgent needs.' A DVSA spokesperson also commented: 'We are working with Citroen to make sure that everyone with these vehicles knows that they can't use this model of car until the necessary repair work has been carried out.' A Department for Transport spokesperson added: 'We understand how frustrating these recalls are for those affected. 'The safety of those drivers and their families remains the Transport Secretary's top priority. She and the Future of Roads Minister are actively engaging with manufacturers and industry leaders to ensure any disruption is kept to an absolute minimum.' Your rights if your car is subject to a recall Consumer lawyer Dean Dunham says: 'Under the Consumer Rights Act (CRA) goods, including cars, must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described. 'When a car manufacturer issues a recall or safety notice, it is in effect admitting that the car breaches these obligations and you are entitled to a free remedy. 'If you purchased the car within the last 30 days, you can exercise what is known as the short-term right to reject under the CRA and hand back the car, but if you purchased it more than 30 days ago, you must give the dealership/manufacturer the opportunity to repair the issue. 'Consumers also have rights in relation to the amount of time a trader takes to repair or implement any other remedies. The CRA, therefore, provides that repairs/remedies must be made within a 'reasonable amount of time' and without significant inconvenience to the consumer. 'Here, the dealerships/manufacturer will get away with the time element (as they will argue this is simply how long it takes) but, in my view, will fall foul of the inconvenience element if the repair time creeps into several weeks. 'This could give rise to a valid claim for: i) compensation to cover the inconvenience; ii) a demand for a courtesy car; or even iii) a full refund, as section 24(5)(C) of the CRA provides that you can hand goods back and ask for a refund if a repair is not carried out within a reasonable time and/or you suffer significant inconvenience. 'However, the trader can make a deduction for the use of the car you've already enjoyed, and this can be a significant sum. The manufacturer will carry out the necessary repair regardless of when you purchased the vehicle. 'Finally, I've seen lots of people claiming that you will have no rights if you purchased the vehicle 6 or more years ago, in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or five years in Scotland. This is not entirely correct. 'The manufacturer will carry out the necessary repair regardless of when you purchased the vehicle. 'It is therefore only if you want to bring court proceedings (for the likes of an injury caused linked to the faulty car or for an inconvenience claim) when the timing of your purchase matters and even then, there's a fall-back limitation period of three years from the date you found out that the goods were faulty (which here will be the date of the safety recall notice).
BBC News
02-07-2025
- BBC News
The worst moment of my life should not become your viral video
When Eve Thomas found paramedics treating her badly injured father at the scene of a crash, she was surrounded by people taking photos and videos to share on social ones were then mistakenly told that Eve's father had died, because online speculation travelled faster than the has backed a campaign urging people to think before sharing images of traumatic events, supported by emergency workers who say these actions interfere with their ability to save lives and preserve Nia Lambley said there had been a "seismic change" in the behaviour of onlookers at the scene of emergency incidents, with phones often used to capture images rather than to call for help. Eve, now 25, was 17 when her father, Nigel, was knocked off his bicycle returning home from work as a delivery driver in Hirwaun, Rhondda Cynon school bus was among the traffic that stopped at the scene in the immediate aftermath, and she saw that her father was involved."I was essentially on a bus full of other children that were filming and taking pictures and it was incredibly distressing," said Eve."He was treated by the air ambulance and people filmed his treatment."Nigel had sustained a severe traumatic brain injury and numerous other physical injuries. He was in a coma for a month and spent around nine months in hospital. Eve said having the incident documented and discussed online "took on a life of its own"."He was at a very vulnerable point and didn't have a voice in that - he couldn't speak on any of it, and people were sort of doing that for him - putting that narrative out there, that wasn't necessarily true."While friends attempted to have material taken down from various online platforms, the fact that it was filmed or photographed at all is something that Eve has struggled with."Even if it's somebody's old phone is in a drawer, they've got my father's worst moment in his entire life on there," she said."Even if we've managed to get [the images] taken down, the impact of knowing that people would do that stays."If it was you or someone you loved in that situation, would you rather have someone take a minute and think - or call for help - or would you rather them film it and preserve that?" Insp Lambley from South Wales Police is urging people to use their phones to call for help, rather than to livestream a person's final moments. "We're trying to give people as much dignity in that vulnerable moment as possible," said Insp Lambley."When people whip their phones out and take photos of them or video them, we're losing control of that. We're not able to give them dignity."She said there had been a "seismic change" during her 13 years as a police officer."Now it just seems the go-to is that instead of people using their phone to call for help, they're using it to film and upload to social media for nothing more than likes and comments."It's not with the intention of bringing anyone to justice or to assist that person in any way - you're robbing that person of dignity."The campaign, It's Not Your Story To Tell, has been co-produced by Ms Thomas and the South Wales Trauma Network, which is made up of hospitals, emergency services and rehabilitation services. 'Livestreaming their last moments' Insp Lambley said police being filmed by members of the public is common, and said she accepted that officers must be held accountable."But when we see the impact it has on people that we're dealing with as victims of crime or traumatic incidents like car accidents or stabbings, it really hurts, because it completely contradicts what we're trying to do."On some occasions they're using their phone to livestream people in - sometimes - their last moments."She recalled one incident where a 15-year-old boy had died and after attempting to resuscitate him, she and colleagues became aware that a member of the public had taken a photo and circulated on social media that the teenager had said she had been trained to deliver "a death message" with dignity, meaning they would take time to compose themselves before breaking the news to relatives."In this case I literally had to run from the scene to the house of this boy's parents, looking dishevelled and out of breath and bang on their door and say 'I'm really sorry, your son is dead'."That's not how I ever wanted to deliver that message, but I felt I had to get there before social media. You're running against something that you have no control over."For me, I did a disservice to that family."But I intercepted somebody who was on their way to give their condolences, and more or less push them back from the front door, saying 'the [family] don't know'." The campaign was initiated by the South Wales Trauma Network because of the impact the issue has on a number of affiliated Bradley, operations manager for the network, said having someone record your efforts to support a person in their hour of need had "a negative experience for everyone involved", including the professionals."I think it's really important to highlight the effect on staff too," she said."When people are recording them actually trying to save a life the effect is huge. It's a huge responsibility on that member of staff."I have never forgotten any patient that has been involved in any sort of serious accident - or their family and loved ones. They stay with me forever."We reached out to every blue light service and asked them about the impact - every one of them came back and said we have an experience that is negative and we want to be part of this campaign."
Yahoo
25-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Allowing AI to exploit and undermine journalism in Wales would be catastrophic - the UK government must think again
WalesOnline and the four biggest daily newspapers of Wales today all take the bold step of devoting their leading articles and front pages to an issue that could be disastrous not just for news organisations like WalesOnline and the newspapers of Wales, but the UK's entire creative sector. Under changes to copyright laws being proposed by the UK Government, AI companies will be able to train their systems on text, images, music and any other online content without having to pay the creators of that content for gaining the ability to summarise, recreate or even directly replicate it. That means that international AI corporations will be able to extract all the value from the work of everyone from artists and musicians to historians and scientists - as well as local journalists at our hard-working team at WalesOnline. READ MORE: Hirwaun deaths latest as two bodies found in Welsh village READ MORE: Terrifying moment man throws hammer through couple's front door The creative industry is worth around £126bn, and employs around 2.4m people, and is today coming together to make it clear that these changes are potentially ruinous for the entire sector. For a local news industry already being squeezed by the BBC's digital expansion on one side and the market dominance of Meta and Google on the other, giving the AI industry free access to exploit our intellectual property would be catastrophic, stifling our ability to break major stories, carry out investigations that expose exploitation and injustice and give a voice to people in marginalised communities. Good journalism makes a huge difference to life in Wales, it would be a travesty to undermine it. Our journalism has exposed exploitation in the door-to-door charity fundraising industry by sending a reporter undercover. It has shed a light on scandals and problems everywhere from the very top of the Welsh Government to institutions like S4C and political parties Plaid Cymru. Journalists force people in positions of authority to answer the questions they'd rather shirk. And they help people who feel ignored tell their stories. They bring to life the issues that matter to the people of Wales cities, towns, villages and communities of the region. Wales would be a lesser place without good journalism. We stand with the UK's outstanding creative industries to say it's time to fairly compensate the creators, and to call on the Government to protect one of the country's great natural resources.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
BBC weather forecaster Derek Brockway predicts 'plenty of sunshine' after the deluge
After a weekend of heavy rain and strong winds in Wales where up to 100mm of rain led to flood alerts in place all over the country, the weather is set to improve as the week progresses. The Met Office had issued an amber weather warning for these regions, which was lifted by 6am on Monday, February 24. As we move through the week, high pressure is expected to build, bringing more settled and drier conditions. While there may be occasional showers, especially in the early part of the week, the latter half promises more sunshine. However, with clearer skies, temperatures are likely to drop during the nights, leading to some overnight frost. Senior meteorologist for BBC Wales posted on X, formerly known as Twitter: "Some high rainfall totals yesterday, especially on high ground in S Wales with flooding in places. Some welcome sunshine today. Showers in the forecast with rain to start Wednesday. Dry and settled later in the week with high pressure. Turning chillier with some overnight frost." Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter he READ MORE: Child in 'serious condition' after dog attack READ MORE: Hirwaun deaths latest as two bodies found in Welsh village Some high rainfall totals yesterday, especially on high ground in S Wales with flooding in places. Some welcome sunshine today. Showers in the forecast with rain to start Wednesday. Dry and settled later in the week with high pressure. Turning chillier with some overnight frost. — Derek Brockway - weatherman (@DerekTheWeather) February 24, 2025 There are currently five flood alerts in Wales still, following the heavy rainfall, at Rivers Wye and Monmow in Monmouthshire, River Wye in Powys, Lower Teifi, River Usk in Monmouthshire and Newport and Lower Towy. According to the Met Office, Tuesday February 25 will be a sunny start for most people in Wales, then a mixture of sunshine and scattered showers developing through the morning which could be heavy at times. It will be breezy in places and not quite as mild. The maximum temperature will be 10 °C. For Wednesday, February 26 to Friday, February 28, it will be windy with rain at times on Wednesday, and drier to end the week with high pressure building bringing "plenty of sunshine" with a chance of overnight frosts. Overall, after a turbulent start, Wales can anticipate a more stable and brighter end to the week, offering a welcome respite from the recent unsettled weather.
