@ak cheers!

With my (recent) interest in transportation in Wales and beyond, I've never really been able to find a place that focuses on this interest. So, I've started my own Substack - Y Bont.

Check out my first post here (and consider subscribing!):

https://open.substack.com/pub/ybont/p/croeso-to-croesir-bont?r=5zaby&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

Didn’t realise that Plaid committed to looking at rental e-scooters and e-bikes in its 2022 LG manifesto. Rental e-bikes deffo good, and though e-scooters usually replace walking journeys, they still have a place to play in micro mobility. My experience of the Voi scooters in Bristol are pretty good so would be interest to see what Plaid-run Welsh councils do about it.

Glad to see this petition to get Carmarthenshire council to stop banking with Barclays brought up in full Council the other day:

https://carmarthenshire.public-i.tv/core/portal/webcast_interactive/734881/start_time/800000?force_language_code=en_GB

🙏
https://www.nus-wales.org.uk/student_support_to_rise

@SophieMcKeand apparently the full quote is “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than master of one”. Unsure if that’s true but nice to think it either way 🤣

@gethin76 dwi'n cytuno. I'd imagine a big barrier for young people in terms of jobs is how they get there. If this was implemented, hopefully the transport would be sourced from local taxi/coach operators, putting more money into the local economy

I previously worked in hospitality, and the non-existent public transport at these times meant I relied on my parents to scurry me around at unsociable hours. When they were unavailable, I had to fork out 2-3 hours' wages to pay for a taxi home. Many are likely in worse situations than I was, so I hope change occurs.

In today's cabinet meeting, I asked Cllr. Owen whether Carmarthenshire Council would support a change to licensing conditions in the hospitality industry which would see workers get free, safe travel home after 23:00. This is after I found out that many local authorities across the UK had implemented such changes following Unite's 'Get Me Home Safely' campaign. Though I don't expect immediate change, the councillor's response suggests there's an appetite for it. https://bit.ly/3GRn7IX

Does anyone in #Llanelli have updates on the construction of the Pont Bennett cycle and foot bridge? Seen some early pics but I assume it’s progressed since then.

Two weeks of uni assessments begin today 🫠

Though I’m a big fan of active travel, this is a huge problem in the UK. Even in a ‘secure’ bike storage in my student halls last year, my bike was still stolen, so I’m not sure the argument for better bike racks works. Enforcement needs to step up a notch imo.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/jan/07/britain-cycling-bikes-stolen-police-cycle-theft-crime

Interesting data from the Census - 88.5% of households own one or more car in Swiss and #Llangennech (84.6% for #Carmarthenshire as a whole). Unsurprising considering the car-focused infrastructure. Needs fixing. The work on the Llanelli Spinal Route, specifically the building of Pont Bennett, looks promising. Public transport here is woeful too. https://www.ons.gov.uk/census/maps/choropleth/housing/number-of-cars-or-vans/number-of-cars-3a/no-cars-or-vans-in-household?msoa=W02000160

@paulholt the book mentions that pub. Closed ever since I’ve been here unfortunately. Right next to the railway station too so it must’ve been popular

This summer I sought to find out more about my home town of Llangennech. Not much online, but I luckily found an aptly named book in the library written by a local resident in the 90s, “History of Llangennech”. I added much of the findings to the village’s Wikipedia page. For instance, it was said to have the best coal in the world, and Ulysses Grant’s daughter (may) have married a resident. Lemme know what you think!: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llangennech