Forking out £5.50 everyday to get home seems extreme but it is a reality hundreds of Welsh people who work across the Severn estuary face on a daily basis.
Since 1966 the Severn Bridge has allowed easy passage between Wales and England and as a result it has connected Wales with the rest of the UK, but this has come with a high price tag for those who use the bridge on a regular basis. In November 2009 an e-petition was started in an attempt to gain support for a campaign to get tolls on the Severn Crossing reduced.

This school year, a new scheme has been set up allowing the youth of Penarth to give something back and dispel the myths associated with their age bracket.

More than 100 commuters an hour could travel from Penarth to Cardiff by boat as a Cardiff company takes the first step towards having regular water bus services.

At 25 minutes, the journeys on a fleet of five £90,000 boats, which would run every 15 minutes between around 7am and 7pm and stop at Cardiff Central station and Bute Park, could be quicker than commuting by car.

Yet company owners have criticised the Cardiff Council-controlled Cardiff Harbour Authority, saying the boats could go twice as fast if speed restrictions on the River Taff were lifted.

Birthdays only come around once a year and when you’re young this can be one of the most important days of the year. What makes it special, apart from gifts and parties, is the birthday cake.

It can be hard for parents suffering financial pressures to take the time and money to bake something but luckily a Cardiff group has a team of bakers ready to cater to all needs.

ENVIRONMENTALISTS big and small gathered in Cardiff yesterday to watch a film which was funded by donations from more than 300 people. Film director Franny Armstrong, famous for her film McLibel about a couple who were sued by McDonalds, “crowd-funded” campaign movie The Age of Stupid by raising more than £700,000 from investors. Yesterday environment experts and members of the public gathered at the Channel View Centre in Jim Driscoll Way, Grangetown for the free screening.

THERE is no smoke without fire for a local historian looking to brush up on his family tree.
Genealogy enthusiast and former steam train fireman Graham Williams, 63, is appealing to the descendants of a family of chimney sweeps to come forward and help him with his research.
Mr Williams, chair of the Canton Historical Society, thinks he may have distant relatives in Roath who are descended from his great-great-grandparents, who were Charles Elliott’s family of chimney sweeps.
He said: ”There’s lots of Elliotts in Roath and they are all descendants of these …

The announcement of 250 jobs created in Cardiff by Barclaycard today has been hailed a “big vote of confidence for Wales” by Welsh Assembly Government’s First Minister Carwyn Jones.

Barclaycard confirmed it will move work from Barclays Partner Finance in Glasgow in the summer, following months of consultations. The jobs will be in the same building as First Plus, another loans company, based in Pontprennau, to the north east of the capital. Roles will include management trainees and customer loan advisers.

First Minister Jones said: “I welcome the announcement by Barclays of …

The tapping of laptop keys is a sound which has come to characterise cafés such as Starbucks, as freelance workers and entrepreneurs settle themselves in these spaces as an alternative to forking out high prices for their own offices. But accountant Mark Hooper is turning this culture on its head.
Mr Hooper has brought the growing craze of co-working, which has become massive in America, to Cardiff as an alternative to working alone in cafés.
Indycube is a concept Mr Hooper has been developing for the past five years, but the space itself has been situated in the ITV media centre at Culverhouse Cross, Cardiff, for the past six months.

Its rich, enticing aroma gives the whisky a lot to live up to in the flavour column, but it does not disappoint. Harsh and peaty yet enjoyable on the tongue, Ardbeg possesses a sweetness and depth which is difficult to quantify.

PROPERTY investors who have benefited from a 50 per cent council tax discount have targeted Butetown and Grangetown as prime locations for purchasing second homes in Cardiff.

The two districts south of the city centre have more than a quarter of the capital’s unoccupied furnished properties. Butetown has 553 and Grangetown 295. At the other end of the scale, St Mellons and St Fagans have only 11 and six second homes.

Up to now these second homes and those properties unoccupied between lets have been eligible for a 50 per cent reduction in their council tax. But from next month the city’s 2,795 unoccupied furnished properties will be liable for the full amount.

St Patrick’s Day celebrations began early in Cardiff city centre as world champion Irish dancers took to the streets with staff from O’Neill’s pub to raise money for local Welsh charity LATCH.
Cardiff is one of four cities taking part in the national “Join the Jig” campaign, which is one of many fundraising activities taking place across the 62 O’Neill’s pubs in the UK in the run up to St Patrick’s Day on Wednesday.

Two Cardiff men are embarking on a new venture to connect local businesses in Cardiff and give something back to local charities through a new online business directory with a twist.
Cardiff Business Online will launch at the end of March and is the first part of a three-stage-plan to help connect Cardiff-based businesses. The online directory will offer businesses the opportunity to place their profile online for just £10 a month and advertise to consumers in a new way through the use of Twitter.

Unstaffed tanning salons could soon be outlawed after a proposal by Cardiff North MP Julie Morgan today moved a step closer to becoming law.

The Sunbeds (Regulation) Bill would also make it illegal for people under the age of 18 to use sunbeds, with a fine of up to £20,000 for any salons caught breaking the law.

Shopkeepers in Penarth have shown their support for a new loyalty card scheme, which residents and organisers alike hope will help keep trade in the town.

Cardiff councillors charged the taxpayer over £30 every day in travel expenses during the last financial year.

Forty per cent of the bill came from taxi charges after councillors argued the public transport in the city, including the council-owned Cardiff Bus, was not good enough.

A decade-old empty building on a housing estate was demolished on the request of Cardiff Council this week, despite protests from its owner and a petition with more than 150 signatures from nearby residents to save it.

Cardiff Council could be in line for a major shake up following draft proposals to redraw ward boundaries, in a move which one councillor labelled “gerrymandering”.

Deep in the heart of the South Wales countryside, a handful of men gather once a month at what they like to call the headquarters of the Welsh space agency. But this secret location is not an underground bunker, or a darkened room filled with maps. It is the Rose Inn in Redwick. This quiet village pub is home to the country’s top rocketeers.

A tax consultant from Cardiff has written a novel in a bid to become an independent MP. Alun Mathias, 49, distributed 1,200 free copies of his book Vicky and the Pit to homes in Cathays at a personal cost of nearly £3,000.

Two of Penarth’s most prominent sports clubs have received a welcome boost with the news that their long-term future looks to be secure.
Both the Penarth Gymnastics and Boxing clubs were facing uncertain futures, but they will now be housed in St Paul’s Church on Arcot Street.
The Gymnastics Club which is run by 75-year-old former Olympian, Gwynned Lingard faced being left homeless as a result of the Pavilion Project which is coming into fruition. The club, which was set up by Mrs Lingard in 1961, has been based in the Grade II listed building on Penarth’s Pier for the last 10 years. But with the redevelopment of the Pavilion, the club was facing an uncertain future.
Dave Nebitt, the Vale of Glamorgan Borough Council’s Operational Manager for Leisure and Tourism, said: “We’re at an exciting time in terms of the Penarth Pavilion development and the art centre there.
“But obviously that means the Gymnastics can no longer be there. St Paul’s Church is now vacant and housing the gymnastics club there is an option, with the possibility of including the boxing club in this.”
The Penarth Boxing Club has been housed at the church, which overlooks the Billybanks housing estate, for more than 35 years, and used to run alongside a martial arts club, whic has subsequently moved on.

Despite £1.2 million being channelled into providing homes with free fire alarms, more than 62 per cent of household fires tackled in South Wales last year did not have a working fire alarm or had no alarm at all.

Of the 1041 house fires attended to by the fire service last year 113 of the homes had no working fire alarm and 533 no fire alarm.

The figures obtained by Cardiff Evening News under a Freedom of Information request raise serious questions about the effectiveness of the Welsh Assembly Government-backed scheme to provide households with free fire alarms.

THE FIGHT over the future of a Cardiff green space will continue tonight at a potentially-fractious public meeting.
The Rumney Recreation Ground has been the subject of much vitriol over the past two years, with battle lines being drawn between the community and the council.
The council want to build a new school at the site, knocking down Rumney and Llanrumney high schools in the process, while the residents of the area have been battling to oppose the plans.
Chairman of the Rumney Recreation & Eastern Leisure Centre (REEL) Action Group has accused …

A HISTORIC Cardiff pub is to be demolished to make way for a Tesco, an industry insider has revealed.
The Carpenters Arms, in Newport Road, Llanrumney, was originally built in 1872 as a coach house and has been a pub since the 1960s.
Since being shut down more than a year ago it has been the subject of intense speculation among residents.
Although the company handling the sale, Horace John, Forse & Co, have only dealt with the buyer’s representative, a sales negotiator at a nation-wide estate agent has confirmed Tesco have finalised …

Hidden between the close-knit terraced roofs of inner-city Cardiff are the white domes of a cultural gem.

Prayers at the Shree Swaminarayan temple in Merches Place, Grangetown, begin at sunrise just after 7am. Step into the long prayer room, a former nightclub floor, and you hear the jangling of bells and musical chanting.

The temple is the third biggest for the Swaminarayan (corr) Hindu denomination in Britain, after two in London, and the only one of its kind in Wales.

VERBAL volleyball between Councillor Neil McEvoy and former councillors at a community meeting suggested the new code of conduct is not working.
At a Police and Community Together (PACT) meeting on Wednesday, Coun McEvoy and former Labour councillor Michael Michael argued over the issue of whether the council had or had not gritted the streets and pavements of Fairwater during the recent cold period.
Coun McEvoy defeated Mr Michael at the last council elections in May 2008, and since then signs of their acrimonious relationship have regularly been on display at PACT …

Children from schools across Cardiff visited their local libraries this week to celebrate World Book Day.

And these year five pupils from St Paul’s Church in Wales Primary School, Grangetown, were one of 19 groups set loose in Grangetown Library, Havelock Place.

Just days after Llandough Hospital was subjected to a damning report from the Healthcare Inspectorate Wales (HIW), diasbled Penarth councillor Alun Roberts has hit out at transport links to the hospital.

A LIBRARY which will celebrate its 50th birthday this summer has been promised a £150,000 upgrade by the deputy leader of Cardiff Council. But the funding has not yet been secured.

Councillor Neil McEvoy told residents at a Partnership and Communities Together (PACT) meeting at Pentrebane Community Centre they would see a refurbishment of Faiwater library in Doyle Avenue over the coming year. But the council budget for 2010-11 shows the funding for Coun McEvoy’s announcement has not yet been approved.

A TEACHER who donned traditional Welsh dress to celebrate St David’s Day and tried to write a message of peace in chalk on the Senedd steps was moved on by security guards.

Two vehicles collided at the junction between Colum Road and Corbett Road today at about 10.10am.
Three people were involved in the accident and both cars were damaged. One of the cars involved was seriously damaged and the driver of the vehicle was seen by ambulance crew at the scene. The driver and passenger of the other vehicle involved were treated for shock.
An ambulance, a fire engine and police were called to the scene.
More news will follow.

The owner of a popular Cardiff shop has announced it will close down to go online-only.
Irene Parow, of Rich and Rare on Cowbridge Road East, said she will continue to run the business through the internet after 13 successful years in Canton’s main shopping street.
The shop, which specialises in holy communion dresses and christening gowns, attracts customers from all over the world and holds regular fashion shows and exhibitions.
Ms Parow, 58, said the shop will probably close its doors at the end of May and operate solely through its website.
She …

Palestinian olives were on the menu in Cardiff today as part of Fairtrade Fortnight.
Speakers from Oxfam and the Palestinian Farmers Union addressed shoppers in ethical store Fair Do’s in Canton and told them they were helping 9,000 farmers in Palestine by purchasing olives and olive oil from the Middle East.
Thomas Cazalis, co-ordinator of the union’s olive oil programme, said the industry was vital for the farmers. He said: “There is a meaning beyond the product itself. It’s a question of dignity for the farmers and opening the world to these …

“This building” says co-ordinator Billy Hillman “is like the Tardis. It’s bigger on the inside than it looks from the outside.” He is talking about Eastmoors Community Education Centre, and it’s hard to disagree with him: beyond the building’s unassuming facade it’s truly surprising how much the centre has to offer the people of the area.
Located on Sanquhar Street in Splott, Eastmoors from the outside looks like any other community centre you may find in deprived inner-city areas around the UK. The range of facilities available to the children and …

PROTESTORS picketed outside a Cardiff nightclub last night against the final of the Miss University GB final which was being held inside.
The protest, organised by the National Union of Students women’s campaign, was a continuation of their campaign against objectification in student unions. About 25 people, men and women, gathered outside Oceana nightclub in Cardiff city centre, with placards and leaflets with slogans such as “Mark my essays not my looks” and “Lectures not letching”, before the final was due to begin at 6.30pm.

Cardiff Devils forward Tylor Michel hit both goals in Sunday’s 4-2 Challenge Cup final first leg defeat to Nottingham Panthers – but he can’t get the mistake he made out of his head.
With the Devils trailing 3-2 late in the third period, Tylor’s misplaced pass on the powerplay led to a shorthanded goal for Panthers skipper Danny Meyers.
And the Canadian is struggling to shake-off the frustration.

The drop-in lounge at Inroads, one of two of Cardiff’s drug rehabilitation projects, could be the back room of any residence save the drug-related literature peppering the wall and coffee-table. This is what they pride themselves on. Avoiding regressive semantics about whether drug addiction is a disease or a poor lifestyle choice, Inroads make no claim to ‘curing’ people, they are their to offer help and support.

The Cardiff Devils saw their grip on the Challenge Cup loosened by an in-form Nottingham offense at the Bay Arena last night.
In a hot-tempered affair, the Devils struggled to impose themselves beyond the blueline despite a brace from Tylor Michel.
The Panthers scored three in the third period, including an unassisted short-handed goal from Danny Meyers, to dent the Devils hopes of a second Challenge Cup.
Simple mistakes
But player-coach Gerad Adams was positive about his side’s performance but said simple errors had gifted Nottingham victory.
He said: “It’s one of those things. We …

Come rain, shine or even snow, there is one group in Cardiff who never fail to pull on their waterproofs, dig out their wellies and brave the elements in order to help those who need a little care.
Meals on Wheels, based in Fairwater, Cardiff, has been running since 1975, delivering piping hot meals to those who cannot cook for themselves. The service runs 52 weeks of the year and is thought of by many as “the Cinderella of day services.” For many it is not only a food service but …

It could be described as an own goal by Cardiff Council. Their flagship alley gating scheme, which this year had a £110,000 budget, has been widely praised by residents for its role in cutting crime. But the gates have another use, too – as playthings for youngsters.

Up to 8,000 new jobs for Cardiff could be at risk after inspectors blasted plans for an International Business Park next to the M4.

South Wales’s independent lifeboat service’s are going orange today (Fri) in a bid to raise awareness of the dangers of the open water.
The Severn Area Rescue Association (SARA), which has operated on the rivers and estuaries of the River Severn for 35 years, is one of more than 150 independent lifeboat associations across the UK.

VULNERABLE residents of a Cardiff sheltered housing complex have spoken out following Cardiff Council’s decision to close their former day centre.

The decision to close the day centre at the Worcester Court complex in Holmesdale Street, Grangetown, was taken as part of a plan to centralise council services in 2006.

It was classified as a “luncheon club”, which are designed to be open to anybody who wants to attend.

But resident Chris Lomax, 66, said while the status had changed, the way it was run had not.

Independent businesses in Cardiff are fearing for the future after the closure of a number of restaurants and bars in recent weeks, despite the Welsh Assembly claiming it has taking steps to reduce business rates to help retailers in the area.
Two businesses in the heart of Cardiff Bay have been forced to close their doors in the last few weeks, along with the closure of The Point, a popular music venue, before Christmas, and there is fear among the local community that more will follow.

AN ORGANISATION responsible for running community projects throughout Cardiff has been heavily condemned by a Government committee, even though local people have called it a success.

The Communites First project, funded by the Welsh Assembly Government, has spent £214million of tax payers’ money since its launch in 2001, and a report published yesterday suggests, after severe managerial failures, there is no justification for its existence.

An interview with Simon Hoare, the Conservative prospective parliamentary candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth, at his home in Atlantic Wharf, Butetown.
Mr Hoare spoke about MPs’ expenses, his experiences of campaigning against Alun Michael, devolution in Wales, public sector cuts and the future of South Wales’s economy, among other topics.

CARDIFF’S driving test centre is to perform a basic manoeuvre as it relocates just around the corner.
The Driving Standards Agency (DSA) confirmed they will be relocating from their current location at Norbury Road, Fairwater, to another site they have already identified within the Fairwater area.
Pamela Matthews of the DSA said: “We have not submitted a planning application to the Council, but we are currently in negotiations with the landlord.”
She said there will be no redundancies as a consequence of the move, nor will there be any new positions created. She …

A Cardiff community centre played host to breaker dancers from across the UK as the third “B-Boy jam”, run by Cardiff City Kings, break-dancing competition took place on Saturday.
The event saw 16 groups from across the UK compete for the champion title through knock-out rounds throughout the day. Teams travelled from as far away as Valencia and Barcelona to compete at the packed out community centre in Cathays.

An interview with Alun Michael, the MP for Cardiff South and Penarth, at his constituency office in Cathedral Road, Riverside.
Topics included the International Sports Village in Cardiff Bay, a hung parliament and working with Plaid Cymru, whether he has been damaged by the expenses scandal, devolution, fighting a general election through social media, and banning khat.

“Progressive” is not a term often applied to religion, but it is the cornerstone of belief for Cardiff’s Bahá’í community.
Bahá’ísm is one of the world’s youngest faiths, and its message is simple: all the world’s transcendent figures – such as Jesus, the Prophet Muhammad, Krishna, and Buddha – are true messengers from God, and are part of a recurring phenomenon of leaders sent to earth to spread His word.
In other words, Bahá’ísm is interfaith because it integrates the key figures of all religions, believing they are all sent by the …

Cardiff residents face a council tax hike after South Wales Police approved a five per cent rise in the amount they request for their annual budget. The decision to endorse the £257 million budget will add more than £7 to the annual council tax bill of the average home in the city.
The rise is a pre-emptive move to bolster the police’s resources after Chief Constable Peter Vaughan warned the force could be “facing a financial black hole in the next few years” with significant cuts expected from 2011. Addressing South …