03/01/2017 BBC Wales Today

Our top stories: After one of the biggest railway engineering

upgrades in a generation, a warning that we need more

investment to meet passenger demand over the next decade.

First day back in work, not noticed any issues today. It was better

today. A little bit late but getting back and forth to work over

Christmas was difficult. Bird flu is confirmed in a domestic

flock in Carmarthenshire. Tonight, a surveillance zone

is in place to contain the outbreak. We're on Gower, once rock

solid Labour territory. Can the party regain once safe seats

from Tony Blair's era? The council thought to be the first

in the UK to have handed out more fines for litter

than for parking offences. And beavers haven't been seen

in our rivers for hundreds of years. A leading transport expert says

Cardiff's Central Station urgently needs to expand if it s to cope

with predicted demand which could see passenger numbers

rise to 23 million a year. Professor Stuart Cole's comments

come on the day that the station saw the official opening

of a new platform, but he says as the Welsh capital continues

to grow its transport infrastructure It was back to work for commuters

today after the festive break. The train services themselves were back

on track after engineering and signalling works which have caused

delays over the past week. First day back in work and I've not noticed

any issues today. Little do better today. A little bit late getting

back and forth to work over Christmas was difficult. For some

passengers the first journey of the New Year terminated at a brand-new

platform at Cardiff Central. This is the new platform eight designed to

ease congestion. But with commuter numbers set to rise by 6% a year or

next decade many are saying at least two new platforms are needed. With

huge commercial developments and the construction right on the doorstep

of this transport hub thousands will be applied in the shiny new offices

and many of those extra workers will want to travel by train. At present

there are 30 million passengers expected to go through the stage

this year. I Twenty20 three that will have risen to 23 million. That

rate of growth requires and it banding station. If it not expanded

we will get the kind of queueing with pad in the past outside Cardiff

Central station and will have overcrowding on platforms. With room

to expand a short this book -- supplied redevelopment of this

brewery site could provide new platform space. Network Rail accept

new platforms are needed and are working to get it thundered. We are

working through options and the brewery is one of those options. We

don't know numbers of platforms but we have options and we're working to

see with the Welsh Government and with our customers to understand

what the capacity will be in the future. For passengers more pressing

demands is the cost of tickets which rose this week by nearly 2% in

Wales. That was less than the drug Britain but still prompted a

demonstration. We have seen a steady increase in fares year after year

and the trains get more crowded. All the investment into the railways is

actually public money. The latest improvements in Cardiff will make

things easier for the 265,000 passengers that currently use this

station every week. But the expansion in infrastructure may

struggle to keep pace with the expansion in passenger numbers. The

UK Government says it is delivering the biggest rail modernisation

programme for more than a century. Bird flu has been found

in a domestic flock of chickens The chief veterinary officer

for Wales confirmed the H5N8 strain of Avian flu was discovered

in a back yard in Pontyberem It's the same strain found

in a wild duck in Llanelli Our reporter Teleri Glyn Jones joins

us now from Pontyberem. The Chief Veterinary Officer

announced today the strain of bird flu that is H5N8 has been found in a

flock of chickens and ducks kept in a backyard here in Pontyberem in

Carmarthenshire. The flock was killed today before confirmation

because there was a strong suspicion the birds were infected. Since then

a protection zone and a ten kilometres surveillance zone has

been set up around this area in order to stop the disease from

Reading. It is this team strange -- strain found in a while to and

Llanelli before Christmas and in turkeys on a farm in Lincolnshire

earlier in December. Shoppers will be concerned on hearing this. What

the advice following the discovery? The risk to public health from the

virus itself is very low and the food standard agency has made it

clear there is no risk to food safety. Poultry products and eggs

are safe. However the chief vet has stressed that the keepers must be

responsible and they should practice the very highest standards of

bio-security. Even when birds are housed there is still a risk of

infection and vision avoid any contact with wild birds. Everything

should be disinfected and moving poultry should be kept to a minimum.

Organisers of Festival Number 6 in Portmeirion will pay

Gwynedd Council ?8,000 in reimbursement costs.

The local authority helped out when the event's car park

Council staff worked at Porthmadog leisure centre for two nights

when 200 people took refuge because their cars were stranded.

Work will begin this month to build an ?800 million waste incinerator

The incinerator, on Deeside Industrial Park, will burn up

to 200,000 tonnes a year of black bag waste, and create enough

The Welsh Government has put half a million pounds towards giving

children from deprived communities good meals during

The primary-school clubs will provide breakfast and lunch,

as well as activities and lessons about eating healthily.

Five councils in Wales already run similar schemes.

Claims the Labour party is "too weak" to win a majority at the next

general election are "utter nonsense", according

Jo Stevens was responding to a report by the left-leaning

Fabian Society which said Labour has "no chance" of winning more

Well in the meantime, the incoming chair of Welsh Labour

has told BBC Wales the party won't make any headway

Here's our political reporter, Cemlyn Davies.

The Gower constituency was always a rock-solid Labour fortress. The

party held the Parliamentary seat for more than 100 years before the

Conservatives won it by just 27 votes two years ago. This is the

kind of area Labour will have to take back if it wants to win the

next general election. But today's report says the party has no chance

of securing a majority in the Commons and it should look instead

to govern with the help of other left of centre parties. As it's done

in the Welsh assembly. We've got a long way to go. I'm not saying they

will never get in power but not in the next ten years. The problem lies

with Jeremy Corbyn. I just don't think he's the right leader. We will

have to wait and see. No chance whatsoever. We are well behind in

the opinion polls. We have a lot of ground to make up. But the important

thing is to realise that it can be done. What we need to do is not be

defeatist. We need to recognise that if we have the right policies and

the right attitude and the right enthusiasm we can win the next

election. 20 years ago Labour knew all about winning seats. Here is the

then leader Tony Blair campaigning in Cardiff, fortnight before his

party swept to victory winning 34 seats in Wales. That figure fell to

25 out of 42 years ago. Before Labour's couldn't leader was

elected. That can Jeremy Corbyn turn things around? The incoming chair of

Welsh Labour told me this report is a fair reflection of the party at UK

level and he doesn't think Labour will make any headway and the Jeremy

Corbyn. Others of course will disagree. It's overly pessimistic.

First of all we've got about 33% of the electorate to go for love not

turned out to vote. That is part of Jeremy Clarkson appeal. Can Labour

win an election in the Jeremy Corbyn? Yes. The New Year has

brought familiar questions and doubts for Labour. Make's local

elections will provide another test of the party's hopes.

Wrexham Council is thought to be the first in the UK to have

collected more fines for littering than parking offences.

More than 3,000 fixed penalty tickets were issued in the past six

months as part of the council's zero tolerance approach to litter.

Despite claims from critics that enforcement officers

are over-zealous, the authority says the aim is to keep Wrexham tidy.

Cleaning up the streets or dirty tricks?

Opinion is divided in Wrexham about the way the council chooses

Since last April it's employed Kingdom Environmental Protection

to issue ?75 fixed penalty notices to anyone seen dropping litter.

Dog fouling and discarded cigarette butts are the most common reasons

for the fines but some say the council's zero tolerance

It's happened to me. I open the packet and it was windy and the wind

took it out of my hand and the officer saw it and hit me with a ?75

fine. It's good to keep the Tarantino and tidy but I have

watched them operating and they are hiding around corners waiting and

pouncing. 3,500 litter penalties have

been issued since April, raising three times as much

as parking fines. The council says the net income

from the fines is ?30,000 a year as not all are paid and the aim

is to keep the town tidy Litter is later whether it is dog

fouling or Bill receipts or cigarette litter or chewing gum.

It's all classed as litter under the act. If it is accidental we would

expect some lenience but officers have taken a zero tolerance approach

and I do believe the enforcement mechanisms we have in place is

working. The council is inviting tenders

for a two year extension Kevin Critchley runs Eagles Meadow

Shopping Centre in Wrexham. He says a gentler approach

to rubbish disposal has The suggestion on the guidelines and

the approach we take is to approach people and ask them will they pick

it up. Usually people say sorry I wasn't thinking and pick it up. We

also have done a lot of work where people have dropped litter and put

bins where the litter goes. Debate will continue over

whether the carrot or stick The council say there's never

an excuse to drop litter and facing Others believe that's just rubbish

and persistent offenders Still to come on tonight's programme

before 7.00pm: He's worked at some

of the biggest clubs in the world. Now, Paul Clement prepares

for the job of rescuing Swansea City And tributes to the man who founded

one of the country's They haven't been seen in our rivers

for hundreds of years but beavers could once again become

a common sight. Wildlife experts in Wales are hoping

to release ten beavers at an undisclosed location

in South Wales this year. In Scotland, beavers have been

successfully reintroduced and given From a distance this looks like

ordinary marshland but on closer inspection this enclosure is home to

a couple of beavers. It's a small project run in Machynlleth but we

could now be a step closer to seeing beavers in the wild here. Wildlife

trust Wales has applied to release ten beavers into the wild at an

undisclosed location somewhere in South Wales. It could happen as soon

as this year. We have a breeding pair we hope and they are getting on

really well. They are enclosed in now because beavers are not allowed

to live in Wales freed up until very soon hopefully. We are hoping our

kits might be part of the reintroduction programme. In

Scotland following a five-year trial the government has given the species

protected Asus meaning they are back the good. In Devon couple of pairs

established there is hard kits last year. Beavers were native to Wales.

We are getting European beavers and bringing them over and we have to

make sure they are held in captivity to make sure they are healthy and

not going to spread any disease and make sure they are healthy animals.

But not everyone is happy. Farmers and anglers have raised concerns

beavers damaged the landscape and fish migration routes. The original

science we were prevented with suggested they wouldn't build dams

and travel very far but we now know that is not the case. The evidence

in Scotland is they can do considerable damage. The species

were handed to extinction here in the 16th century but a licence for

their release in the wild could mark a reversal in fortunes after an

absence for centuries. Natural Resources Wales said it would have

to consider the pact on existing wildlife and land use before making

a final decision. It's 40 years since Wales's first,

and only, national Welsh language Radio Cymru went on air

on January 3rd 1977. While it has a loyal listenership,

a fall in its audience over recent years has led to calls for a second

Welsh language station to be created But it's also facing challenges

from digital platforms, and the changing habits

of its listeners. Our arts and media correspondent

Huw Thomas reports. Since 1977 Radio Cymru has given a

voice to Welsh speaking Wales on the wireless. Over four decades its

focus on Welsh, music, news and information has survived, changing

tastes and fashions. And it's launched the careers of broadcasters

like Betty Georgiou has been with the station since it started and now

thinks this should be a second Radio Cymru channel. We wanted to prove we

were as good a broadcasters as those working through the medium of

endless. We've only got one service and it's not good enough really. We

should have two channels without a doubt. The future is the focus for

Betsan Powys who as editor has overseen experiments with temporary

digital stations and brought in new presenters. It's in response to

falling audience members with the total of noon every week dropping to

just over 100,000. The challenge is can Radio Cymru change in the right

way and that the right times to ensure it still has an audience and

if it doesn't change then something is wrong. It should change but you

shouldn't underestimate the challenge of change at a time when

that core audience that has been so loyal to Radio Cymru for 40 years,

we should not forget them either. On a Radio Cymru has held its ground as

the only national Welsh language station and while some listeners

have trusted away the BBC has avoided introducing any radical

changes. But the language campaigners who first called for the

creation of Radio Cymru now want far greater choice and not all of it in

the hands of the BBC. The only Ansa is devolving broadcasting to Wales

because we know what we want and we know what we need and it's much more

than one radio station and on TV channel through the medium of Welsh.

Celebrations in the studios today and plenty to shout about for a

station that has inspired other minority language radio services in

the UK and further afield. But change in technology and in the

habits of listeners mean there are plenty of challenges ahead if Radio

Cymru is to thrive for another 40 years.

Football and the man tasked with reviving

the fortunes of Swansea City will watch his new side at Crystal

Paul Clement, the former Bayern Munich assistant manager,

has agreed a two-and-a-half year deal with the Swans who are bottom

The latter half of 2016 has been one to forget for Swansea City with just

three wins from 19 games. But New Year and a fresh start at the

Liberty Stadium as Paul Clement becomes the club's third head coach

this season. I could have stayed at Bayern Munich but I've chosen to

come into a challenging situation and it excites me to do it. That's

the attitude I want the players to have. It's a big task but it can be

done. The most important thing is to focus on some of the smaller details

regarding performances. Having enjoyed modest success as a

non-league player it's as a culture that Paul Clement's area has

blossomed. He was appointed assistant manager at Chelsea by

Carlo Ancelotti as they went on to win the Premier League. The pair

have also worked together at Paris St Germain and Real Madrid. They won

the Champions League there. This season they took over at Bayern

Munich. His sole job as a manager in his own right ended in

disappointment despite leading Derby County to play-off contention the

championship he was shown the door last fed here. Paul Clement was one

of the contenders for the top job there back in October when Bob

Bradley was appointed instead. He became the Premier League's first

American manager but Bradley fails to make an impact and Swansea City

remain rooted to the foot of the table, four points adrift of

relegation safety. But one former Swansea City player believes the new

head coach still has time to put things right. It's up to him now. He

has two identify what kind of way he wants to get in and the board and

the fans have got to get behind him. At the moment they are four points

away. A massive game tonight against Crystal Palace. If they win that

they are only one point away from getting out of trouble. No point

pushing the panic button yet. As fans gathered this morning ahead of

the journey for tonight's match many are hopeful that he is the man to

turn their season around. He is probably the one person who is

likely to take us back to the old way of playing. I am hopeful. What

we needed somebody give our boys confidence. We have got good players

but in any job if you lose your confidence it makes it harder.

Hopefully he will do something that Brendan Rodgers didn't bring us

glory. With the new head coach expected to be watching from the

stands at Selhurst Park tonight the players will be looking to impress

and the Swans faithful will be keeping everything crossed for an

important three points. Rugby and Wales' Taulupe Faletau

is a doubt for the start The number eight injured his knee

playing for Bath on Christmas Eve. He's expected to be out

for four to six weeks, meaning he could miss Wales'

Championship opener in Italy The founder of the race in Rhondda

Cynon Taff has died at the age of 91. Bernard Baldwin started the

event nearly 60 years ago as a tribute to a local athlete. It has

now grown to attract over 10,000 people and the support of some of

the biggest names in Welsh sport every New Year's Eve. The streets of

Mountain Ash every New Year's Eve. Spectators and runners in their

thousands, an event started as a tribute in 1958 by a local man,

Bernard Baldwin. One athlete from the 20th century paying tribute to

one from the 1700s. Known as Guto Dafydd brand,. That is not a wealth

of information about him but if the story at his graveside are to be

believed he ran 12 miles in just 53 minutes before collapsing and dying

just 37 years old. Running legend and inspiration here. Torches

carried from the church where he is buried each year to multinational

way the race starts. The founder of the event will be remembered today

as he passed away peacefully in hospital. The fact that Sony people

come along to support the event, this year the race was full two

months before the night. People from all over the world come to run and

it's something we should be proud of. He has put mountain ash on the

map. We get people from America, Australia, all over Europe every

year. Bernard Baldwin started a tradition here six decades ago to

honour someone inspirational. The event he founded may well stand as

the tribute to him in future as well. Let's see what the weather has

in store. Derek has the forecast. We ve seen a contrast

in the weather today. The best of the sunshine

in the south. So tonight, dry in the southeast

with clear spells. Elsewhere, much cloudier

with a little rain and drizzle. Temperatures staying above freezing

tonight with a slight frost Here's the picture for

8.00am in the morning. Damp in parts of mid

and north Wales. During the day spots

of light rain and drizzle Most places becoming fine and bright

in the afternoon with sunshine. The cloud clearing from

the far south before dusk. Top temperatures 4C

and 7C, with a north The odd spot of light

rain but otherwise dry. The sky clear and that means

a much colder night again. Temperatures falling as low as -5C

with a widespread hard frost. One or two freezing

fog patches as well. Temperatures rising

above freezing in the afternoon. 7C in Milford Haven

with a southeasterly breeze. So high pressure and settled

on Thursday but it won't Fronts will move in from

the Atlantic on Friday. A dry start in the southeast

but rain will spread The cloud lowering

and turning milder. So temperatures up and down

like a yo-yo over the next few days. Tomorrow night the coldest

night of the week. The headlines. Britain's top

diplomat to the European Union has resigned. Sir Ivan Rogers leaves his

job weeks before the government is due to begin formal Brexit talks. He

found himself at the centre of a political storm recently when he

told ministers that trade deal could take up to ten years. Leave

campaigners accuse him of being unduly pessimistic. And a leading

transport exports as Cardiff Central station urgently needs to expand if

it's to cope with the predicted rise in passengers. Professor Stuart Cole

says 23 million people a year will use the station by 2023 and two new

platforms are needed to meet demand. I'll have an update

for you here at 8.00pm and again after the

BBC news at 10.00pm. From all of us on the

programme, good evening.