Torfaen County Borough Council

Torfaen council is to trial the reopening of car parking areas that serve local parks from Thursday.

They include the Boating Lake, Southfields and Northfields in Cwmbran and the Old Mill Car Park in Pontypool.

Countryside car parks that attract visitors from a wider area will remain closed for the time being.

These include those at Garn Lakes, Tirpentwys, Mountain Air and Blaen Bran. However, residents who live local to these areas can still visit on foot or by bicycle.

Councillor Mandy Owen, executive member for the environment, said: “We really want these car parking areas to be used responsibly.

"If there’s any anti-social behaviour, people start parking dangerously, or there are gatherings we will have to shut them again.”

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Rubbish tips in more than half of Wales' 22 local authorities will open today.

Recycling centres have already opened in Wrexham, Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taff - but 12 more councils will be reopening their facilities today.

Centres in Bridgend, Caerphilly, Cardiff, Carmarthenshire, Flintshire, Monmouthshire, Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Swansea and Torfaen will reopen on Tuesday.

Most require booking and are for "essential visits" only.

Here's our handy guide for more details on when your local tip opens.

A pub in south Wales has been given a fixed penalty notice after customers were found drinking on the premises despite the coronavirus lockdown.

Gwent Police found groups of people had been served drinks and were drinking them in the beer garden while waiting to collect a takeaway order from the Castell-y-Bwch in Henllys, Cwmbran, last week.

It is the second pub to face action from Torfaen council, which last month handed a notice to the Hanbury Arms in Pontypool after customers were found drinking at the bar.

Councillor Mandy Owen, Torfaen executive member for public protection, said: "The law is clear that pubs, like all other food premises, who are operating a takeaway service during the coronavirus pandemic must not allow or encourage the consumption of food or drink on their premises.

"The council and police continue to work together to ensure that businesses are keeping our communities safe and helping save lives.

"Failure to comply will instigate further formal action in the form of fixed penalties and potentially prosecution by the courts."

Fixed penalty notices are £60 for the first breach and £120 for a second breach and must be paid within 28 days. A review of the premise licence may also be considered by both the council and police.

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