Another staggering delay for Cardiff’s bus station

Commenting on the latest announcement by Cardiff’s Labour-run council that Cardiff’s new bus station will not be ready for passengers to use until spring 2023, lead Liberal Democrat candidate for South Wales Central for the 2021 Senedd elections Councillor Rodney Berman said:

he staggering incompetence in the way the council’s Labour leaders have handled the bus station project is unbelievable.

Plans were initially being drawn up for a new bus station by the council administration which I and the Liberal Democrats led between 2004 and 2012. We left office in 2012 with a funded plan in place – all that was required then was to acquire the site of the former NCP car park in Wood Street. We knew that might take some time, but nothing like the time we’ve had to wait since.

Labour fought the 2012 council elections in Cardiff calling for the delivery of a new bus station to be speeded up – but they have delivered just the opposite.

Since then, deadline after deadline has been missed and promise after promise has proved worthless. The only thing Labour has delivered to date is the demolition of the old bus station in 2015 – with bus services scattered to the wind around the city centre ever since.

Seven years on from Labour campaigning for the new bus station to be delivered more quickly, and with Labour having been in charge of the council all through that time, we are now hearing it won’t be ready for use for yet another four years. Cardiff’s residents have been very badly let down.

A recall petition has opened to decide if a Tory MP convicted for a false expenses claim will keep his seat.

Chris Davies tried to split the cost of photographs between two office budgets by faking invoices , when he could have claimed the amount by other means. Brecon and Radnorshire voters wanting to sign the petition will be able to do so until Thursday 20 June in six locations in the constituency. A by-election will be held if 10% of the electorate - 5,303 voters - sign. Mr Davies would be able to contest a by-election, if one takes place. House of Commons Speaker John Bercow confirmed the recall petition last month , after Mr Davies was given a community order of 50 hours unpaid work and a £1,500 fine, at Southwark Crown Court. In a statement, Mr Davies has apologised to his constituents for "making such an error", saying he very much hopes to continue serving Brecon and Radnorshire. Constituents can sign the petition at venues in Llandrindod Wells, Brecon, Presteigne, Ysytradgynlais, Hay-on-Wye and Crickhowell. Apart from Spring Bank ...

Lib Dems Propose New Bill to Protect Welsh Farmers

The Liberal Democrats have proposed new legislation to protect Welsh farmers from being undercut by food trade deals that do not meet the UK’s environment and animal welfare standards. The plans, set out in a private member’s bill from Liberal Democrat Spokesperson for Rural Affairs Tim Farron MP, would require the government’s Trade and Agriculture Commission to assess the impact of any new trade deal on UK farmers, and guarantee that MPs had the final say on trade deals initiated by the government. This would include an assessment of the impact of new trade deals on farming communities in each region and nation of the UK. Farron’s Bill comes after concern was raised by farmers unions and the Welsh Liberal Democrats that the Government’s new trade deal with Australia will not include a Welsh-specific impact assessment. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS and Liberal Democrat Rural Affairs Spokesperson Tim Farron MP Commenting on his...

Significant Gaps Remain in Welsh Government Building Safety Announcement

The Welsh Liberal Democrats have welcomed progress announced today in the Welsh Government’s building safety announcement but have warned significant gaps remain. Welsh Liberal Democrat Leader Jane Dodds MS and Cardiff Liberal Democrat Group Leader Cllr Rhys Taylor addressing building saftey campaigners. The announcement given by Environment Minister Julie James MS confirmed that 9 property developers have now signed up to the Welsh Government’s “Developers Pact” agreeing in theory their responsibility to remediate buildings they constructed with safety defects. The announcement follows a lengthy campaign by leaseholders in the five years since the Grenfell Tower Disaster. However, three major developers are still yet to reply. The Welsh Liberal Democrats have stated that due to the Welsh Government’s failure to work with the UK Government on the Building Safety Act, they are left with little to no options to deal with the property de...

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