01/01/2017 BBC Wales Today


01/01/2017

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Transcript


LineFromTo

Good evening.

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Estate agents in Monmouthshire say they're seeing a big increase

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in the number of people from England buying property in the area.

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They say it's partly because of the promise to cut

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the Severn Bridge tolls which have risen today by 10 pence - to ?6.70.

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The UK government says it will halve the fees in 2018 when the bridges

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come back into public ownership.

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Paul Heaney reports.

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To commemorate the first crossing of the Severn Bridge,

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I have great pleasure in unveiling this plaque.

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Popular since the first bridge was opened

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by the Queen in 1966.

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Less popular - the charge to use either of the two Severn

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crossings when travelling from England into Wales.

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Especially if you live or work near the border,

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like here in Chepstow.

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I commute over to Bristol every day.

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And my partner does so we are paying sort of ?13 a day

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to get to and from work.

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I train over in Portishead two nights a week.

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It becomes a struggle to get back and forth because of the prices.

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So as house prices in places like Bristol rise sharply,

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the UK Government says it's going to half the tolls

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for the bridges in 2018.

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Estate agents say that combination is resulting

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in more sales in Chepstow, Caldicot and here in Magor,

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to buyers based in England.

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About 70 to 80% of all buyers recently have been

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from over the bridge.

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And of course with the bridge coming down in price, people are assuming

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that they are going to be able to work over the bridge

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and save a lot of money.

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The Chamber of Commerce in Chepstow says people moving into the area

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could be great for business.

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But it also says there's also a challenge.

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Cheaper tolls might make it more likely that people to go to Bristol

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and Cribs Causeway shopping centre across the water too.

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The traders should wake up a little bit and start thinking about working

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together more to do something in the town, to make sure

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that we are attractive, more attractive than we are at

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the moment, say.

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Because with the Cribs Cauesway going to expand, it will be

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a temptation for people to leave the town and go over there.

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We really need to keep people in the town.

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The Welsh government says it wants control over the bridge tolls.

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The UK government says it has no plans to hand it over

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but will confirm more details about lowering

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their cost in due course.

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A man has been arrested in Llanberis following the suspicious death

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of a 70-year-old man in Maes Padarn.

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North Wales Police say they're not looking for anyone else

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in connection with the incident - which happened at around

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3 o'clock this morning.

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They are currently awaiting the results

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of a post-mortem examination.

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In today's rugby derbies,

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the Scarlets completed the season's Pro12 double

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over the Cardiff Blues, in a compelling match in Llanelli.

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A try by Willis Halaholo wasn't enough to turn things

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around for the visitors.

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The final score 15-10 to the Scarlets.

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At Rodney Parade, the Ospreys continued their winning streak,

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beating the Newport Gwent Dragons by 10-0.

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Justin Tipuric opened the scoring in the first half,

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with the only try of the game.

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In football - as Swansea City look set to appoint the club's third

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manager this season - the Supporters' Trust

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say they're happy with the choice of Paul Clement.

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It's believed the former Derby boss and current Bayern Munich

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assistant-manager has been in talks with the Premiership club

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over the last 48 hours.

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The American, Bob Bradley, was sacked on Tuesday.

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It's understood an official announcement may come

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as soon as tomorrow.

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As a 21% shareholder we have been kept fully involved

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in the selection process.

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Paul has a very good pedigree, albeit inexperience as a manager.

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But his pedigree is something that we welcome.

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We think he will be well-placed to keep us in this league.

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But if that fails, we think he is the man to mount

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a promotion challenge that is needed next season.

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Thousands of people in Wales got 2017 off to a chilly start

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with a New Year's Day swim in the sea.

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Nearly 2,000 swimmers braved the waves at this charitable event

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in Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire.

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Other events were held around the Welsh coast with up

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to 500 swimmers at events in Barry and Abersoch.

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But organisers cancelled a dip at Morfa Nefyn

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in Gwynedd due to high winds - that's now been

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re-arranged for Easter.

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A look at the weather forecast, and overnight, skies will become

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largely clear and dry.

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It'll be much colder than recent nights, with a widespread frost.

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Tomorrow - staying mostly dry with some sunshine.

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The winds lighter than today, and it'll continue to feel cold.

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Top temperature 6 Celsius.

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That's Wales Today.

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We're back tomorrow afternoon at ten past one.

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From all of us on the late team, nos da, goodnight.

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We will be back tomorrow.

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We will be back tomorrow. Happy

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We will be back tomorrow. Happy New

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