The plan, which is backed by £300,000 from the Welsh Government’s Growth & Prosperity Fund, will also safeguard 27 jobs and bring the total employment at its sites in Newport, Pontypool and Llanelli up to 136.

GD Environmental aims to be one of the first carbon positive waste management companies in the UK and has a strong focus on maximising waste recycling and reducing landfill. It currently recycles 98% of the 225,000 tonnes of waste it processes each year.

The investment will expand its liquid waste services in Llanelli; upgrade and refurbish its waste transfer station in Pontypool, and expand its processing plant in Newport, ensuring increased capacity and the introduction of new technology to sustainably recycle hard plastic. 

Economy Secretary Ken Skates said: 

“GD’s focus on recycling and reducing the amount of waste going to landfill supports the Welsh Government Strategy, Towards Zero Waste. The investment will assist their growth plans, increase capacity and help boost their business while bringing new jobs and economic benefits to regions across South Wales.”

The company offers a complete waste management service for the private and public sector and has developed from a core drainage business into a national provider of all forms of waste management.

Its range of services includes scrap processing; plastic recycling; liquid waste processing; dry waste sorting and separating; hazardous waste handling, as well as skip hire, clearing and repair blocked drains and asbestos disposal.

The business has embarked on an expansion programme since it was acquired in 2015 by Oliver Hazell and Mark Hazell. The company expanded its capabilities through the 2016 acquisition of Pontypool based Fred Lloyd & Sons which provided a scrap handling and end of life vehicle arm to the business.

Oliver Hazell said: 

“This investment and the backing of the Welsh Government will support our ambitions of becoming an industry leading waste management services requirements in the UK. We are making a significant investment at all three sites to offer an even better service to our customers that will help grow the business and enable us to create more jobs at each location and we continue to offset our carbon footprint whenever possible.”

At around 06:30 hrs on Sunday 28 May 2017, a trailer being propelled by a small tractor (known as a ‘gator’) between Edale and Bamford, became detached and ran away for a distance reported to have been around 1.5 miles (2.4 km), before coming to rest at a set of points near Hope. The gator’s machine operator followed in the gator to warn anyone on the track of the approach of the trailer. Afterwards, the draw bolt and locking pin which secured the trailer to the gator was reportedly found to have come out. The trailer was fitted with brakes on two wheels of its four wheels. The brakes are spring applied and, when coupled to the gator, are released hydraulically. However, when the trailer is used independently, the brakes are manually released using demountable handles. The hydraulic hose connecting the trailer’s hydraulic system to the gator reportedly pulled out when the trailer broke away.

The gator and trailer had been put on the track at Grindleford and driven to Edale to convey four staff from Edale to Cowburn Tunnel where they were to remedy a number of track faults. On the journey, the machine operator reported that the gator and trailer were slow and sluggish and later, between Edale and Cowburn Tunnel, sparks were reported coming from wheels on the trailer. Once inside the tunnel, it was found that the brakes on the trailer were applied and could not be hydraulically released. For the return journey at around 06:00 hrs, the brakes were manually released using the demountable handles which, at some stage, were tied in the release position.

After dropping the four staff at Edale, the machine operator continued alone towards an access point at Bamford. He reported that he stopped to take a telephone call and then noticed the trailer slowly running away down the gradient. A gang, who had earlier been working on the points where the trolley came to rest, had left the track. There were no level crossings or footpath crossings on the route of the runaway. The machine operator reported receiving an upper body injury when the gator suffered a jolt while following the trailer.

The RAIB’s investigation will seek to understand the sequence of events and the circumstances leading to the trailer running away, the maintenance condition of the gator and trailer and any relevant management issues.

Our investigation is independent of any investigation by the railway industry, the British Transport Police or by the industry’s regulator, the Office of Rail and Road.

We will publish our findings, including any recommendations to improve safety, at the conclusion of our investigation. This report will be available on our website.

You can subscribe to automated emails notifying you when we publish our reports.

“I am shocked by this horrific and
cruel attack in Finsbury Park, which is being treated as an act of terror.

“I offer my condolences to the
family and friends of the man who has died, and our thoughts are with the
people who have been injured, their family and friends.

“As the local MP, I have met with
Muslim community leaders at the Muslim Welfare House alongside Islington
Council Leader Richard Watts, the council’s Chief Executive Lesley Seary and
the Metropolitan Police.

“Richard and I will attend prayers
at Finsbury Park mosque later today.

“I appeal for people and the media
to remain calm and respectful of those affected.

“In the meantime, I call on everyone
to stand together against those who seek to divide us.”

Computer code is a set of rules or instructions that makes it possible to create computer software, apps and websites. It is a means by which learners can transition from being users to becoming authors of technology. 

The Welsh Government aims to expand Code Clubs in every part of Wales. 

Approximately 300 clubs currently exist across the country and the Education Secretary wants all pupils to have the opportunity to learn about and get involved in coding as the importance of digital skills continues to grow.

There are currently around 1.5 million jobs in the digital sector in the UK, 400,000 of which involve coding. It is estimated that there will be 100,000 new coding jobs by 2020.

The new plan to expand Code Clubs in Wales – ‘Cracking the code’, aims to:

• Raise awareness and highlight the benefits of Code Clubs to teachers, pupils and parents;
• Break down barriers to participation in code clubs;
• Broker and facilitate coding experiences with business and industry. 

The plan will have a specific focus on encouraging stronger relationships between business, industry and the third sector to support the development of coding skills.

The plan will focus on:

• Encourage parents to get involved in coding and the development of digital skills;
• Welsh medium support and resources;
• Getting more girls interested in coding and technology.

A number of local, national and international partners have agreed to work with Welsh Government to support the delivery of the plan. They include Code Club UK, Microsoft Education, Sony, Bafta, Big Learning Company, British Council, BT Barefoot Computing, Computing at school (CAS), Coleg Meirion Dwyfor, Raspberry Pi Foundation, the RAF, Technocamps, and Universities in Wales.

Kirsty Williams said:

“Code is part of almost everyone’s lives. When we check out social media, access an app or computer we are using systems created through code. It is an essential building block of our modern world and I want to make sure as many of our young people have knowledge of it as they develop their digital skills.

“Through this £1.3m of new investment we are aiming to expand the number Code Clubs in every area of Wales for learners aged 3-16 so that they can develop their skills which will be vital part of thriving in our increasingly digital economy.

“We will work with teachers, the education consortia and others to help us crack the code for all our pupils.”

Maria Quevedo, Director Code Club UK said:

“We’re excited to be working with the Welsh Government to give more children and young people across Wales the opportunity to attend a Code Club, and to learn about computing and digital making.

“Code Clubs are a fun and engaging way to help the next generation develop these essential skills, so they are capable of understanding our increasingly digital world and equipped for the jobs of the future.”

As part of this initiative, the Welsh Government will shortly be launching an innovative Minecraft Education pilot programme with Microsoft UK

Changes to the curriculum mean digital skills will now be used through all parts of a pupil’s schooling and not just isolated to specific ICT or computer science classes. The Welsh Government’s Digital Competence Framework is now available to all schools and follows two independent reviews that recommended changes.