01/01/2017

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0:00:14 > 0:00:16Good evening.

0:00:16 > 0:00:18Estate agents in Monmouthshire say they're seeing a big increase

0:00:18 > 0:00:21in the number of people from England buying property in the area.

0:00:21 > 0:00:24They say it's partly because of the promise to cut

0:00:24 > 0:00:29the Severn Bridge tolls which have risen today by 10 pence - to ?6.70.

0:00:29 > 0:00:32The UK government says it will halve the fees in 2018 when the bridges

0:00:32 > 0:00:35come back into public ownership.

0:00:35 > 0:00:39Paul Heaney reports.

0:00:39 > 0:00:41To commemorate the first crossing of the Severn Bridge,

0:00:41 > 0:00:46I have great pleasure in unveiling this plaque.

0:00:46 > 0:00:47Popular since the first bridge was opened

0:00:47 > 0:00:50by the Queen in 1966.

0:00:50 > 0:00:54Less popular - the charge to use either of the two Severn

0:00:54 > 0:00:57crossings when travelling from England into Wales.

0:00:57 > 0:01:00Especially if you live or work near the border,

0:01:00 > 0:01:02like here in Chepstow.

0:01:02 > 0:01:04I commute over to Bristol every day.

0:01:04 > 0:01:07And my partner does so we are paying sort of ?13 a day

0:01:07 > 0:01:09to get to and from work.

0:01:09 > 0:01:12I train over in Portishead two nights a week.

0:01:12 > 0:01:16It becomes a struggle to get back and forth because of the prices.

0:01:16 > 0:01:19So as house prices in places like Bristol rise sharply,

0:01:19 > 0:01:21the UK Government says it's going to half the tolls

0:01:21 > 0:01:25for the bridges in 2018.

0:01:25 > 0:01:29Estate agents say that combination is resulting

0:01:29 > 0:01:32in more sales in Chepstow, Caldicot and here in Magor,

0:01:32 > 0:01:38to buyers based in England.

0:01:38 > 0:01:41About 70 to 80% of all buyers recently have been

0:01:41 > 0:01:42from over the bridge.

0:01:42 > 0:01:45And of course with the bridge coming down in price, people are assuming

0:01:45 > 0:01:48that they are going to be able to work over the bridge

0:01:48 > 0:01:49and save a lot of money.

0:01:49 > 0:01:52The Chamber of Commerce in Chepstow says people moving into the area

0:01:52 > 0:01:53could be great for business.

0:01:53 > 0:01:56But it also says there's also a challenge.

0:01:56 > 0:01:59Cheaper tolls might make it more likely that people to go to Bristol

0:01:59 > 0:02:03and Cribs Causeway shopping centre across the water too.

0:02:03 > 0:02:06The traders should wake up a little bit and start thinking about working

0:02:06 > 0:02:10together more to do something in the town, to make sure

0:02:10 > 0:02:12that we are attractive, more attractive than we are at

0:02:12 > 0:02:15the moment, say.

0:02:15 > 0:02:17Because with the Cribs Cauesway going to expand, it will be

0:02:17 > 0:02:20a temptation for people to leave the town and go over there.

0:02:20 > 0:02:24We really need to keep people in the town.

0:02:24 > 0:02:28The Welsh government says it wants control over the bridge tolls.

0:02:28 > 0:02:30The UK government says it has no plans to hand it over

0:02:30 > 0:02:33but will confirm more details about lowering

0:02:33 > 0:02:43their cost in due course.

0:02:46 > 0:02:48A man has been arrested in Llanberis following the suspicious death

0:02:48 > 0:02:50of a 70-year-old man in Maes Padarn.

0:02:50 > 0:02:52North Wales Police say they're not looking for anyone else

0:02:52 > 0:02:55in connection with the incident - which happened at around

0:02:55 > 0:02:563 o'clock this morning.

0:02:56 > 0:02:57They are currently awaiting the results

0:02:57 > 0:03:00of a post-mortem examination.

0:03:00 > 0:03:01In today's rugby derbies,

0:03:01 > 0:03:03the Scarlets completed the season's Pro12 double

0:03:03 > 0:03:05over the Cardiff Blues, in a compelling match in Llanelli.

0:03:05 > 0:03:08A try by Willis Halaholo wasn't enough to turn things

0:03:08 > 0:03:09around for the visitors.

0:03:09 > 0:03:10The final score 15-10 to the Scarlets.

0:03:10 > 0:03:13At Rodney Parade, the Ospreys continued their winning streak,

0:03:13 > 0:03:14beating the Newport Gwent Dragons by 10-0.

0:03:14 > 0:03:16Justin Tipuric opened the scoring in the first half,

0:03:16 > 0:03:24with the only try of the game.

0:03:24 > 0:03:27In football - as Swansea City look set to appoint the club's third

0:03:27 > 0:03:29manager this season - the Supporters' Trust

0:03:29 > 0:03:31say they're happy with the choice of Paul Clement.

0:03:31 > 0:03:34It's believed the former Derby boss and current Bayern Munich

0:03:34 > 0:03:36assistant-manager has been in talks with the Premiership club

0:03:36 > 0:03:37over the last 48 hours.

0:03:37 > 0:03:39The American, Bob Bradley, was sacked on Tuesday.

0:03:39 > 0:03:41It's understood an official announcement may come

0:03:41 > 0:03:46as soon as tomorrow.

0:03:46 > 0:03:49As a 21% shareholder we have been kept fully involved

0:03:49 > 0:03:52in the selection process.

0:03:52 > 0:03:55Paul has a very good pedigree, albeit inexperience as a manager.

0:03:55 > 0:03:57But his pedigree is something that we welcome.

0:03:57 > 0:04:00We think he will be well-placed to keep us in this league.

0:04:00 > 0:04:05But if that fails, we think he is the man to mount

0:04:05 > 0:04:12a promotion challenge that is needed next season.

0:04:12 > 0:04:15Thousands of people in Wales got 2017 off to a chilly start

0:04:15 > 0:04:17with a New Year's Day swim in the sea.

0:04:17 > 0:04:19Nearly 2,000 swimmers braved the waves at this charitable event

0:04:19 > 0:04:22in Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire.

0:04:22 > 0:04:24Other events were held around the Welsh coast with up

0:04:24 > 0:04:26to 500 swimmers at events in Barry and Abersoch.

0:04:26 > 0:04:29But organisers cancelled a dip at Morfa Nefyn

0:04:29 > 0:04:31in Gwynedd due to high winds - that's now been

0:04:31 > 0:04:37re-arranged for Easter.

0:04:37 > 0:04:39A look at the weather forecast, and overnight, skies will become

0:04:39 > 0:04:40largely clear and dry.

0:04:40 > 0:04:43It'll be much colder than recent nights, with a widespread frost.

0:04:43 > 0:04:45Tomorrow - staying mostly dry with some sunshine.

0:04:45 > 0:04:47The winds lighter than today, and it'll continue to feel cold.

0:04:47 > 0:04:52Top temperature 6 Celsius.

0:04:52 > 0:04:53That's Wales Today.

0:04:53 > 0:04:55We're back tomorrow afternoon at ten past one.

0:04:55 > 0:05:00From all of us on the late team, nos da, goodnight.

0:05:02 > 0:05:02We will be back tomorrow.

0:05:02 > 0:05:03We will be back tomorrow. Happy

0:05:03 > 0:05:03We will be back tomorrow. Happy New