To think wales is a huge problem that no one ever talks about?

[Cocklodger]

Right now Theresa May is cracking down on no win no fee solicitors
Mainly south Wales, in particular the valleys.
Back years ago when the mines were shut down rightfully there was nothing left to replace it. Nothing at all, it killed thousands of jobs, which was to be expected, but in exchange there was no new businesses, no back ups, nothing. And it's only gotten worse since, poverty is high, benefit claimants are quite common
Public transport is awful to say the least and if you can't commute to Cardiff by some means, you're screwed, most can't afford cars and if you're in a public transport black spot then you're severely limited to warehouse operative positions which have over 100 applicants in one to three days. Meanwhile house prices in Cardiff are rising, I think in 40 years we will have a new London.
In the valleys most looks grey, worn out and pretty dead to be honest. Where I live there are a few car dealerships and a train station, which is more like a bus stop with tracks next to it than an actual station and the nearest station with people actually manning the booths is pontypridd (45mins away by train) I spent years working as a volunteer for an agency that helps people with problems (poverty related) such as MH issues, finding work, food bank referrals and the like. I saw it every single day, people wanting to work but seldom getting anywhere.
There are articles and documentaries about it, but I never see them talked bout on here or elsewhere really, aibu to think that Wales is a big problem that no one really talks about?

By the way, as you can see in my op (black spot comment) I'm not saying we're all huddled around a lamppost clutching our giros and waiting for the only bus for four hours, but I am saying that there are lots of black spots and if you're in them, well you're a bit fucked.

Yes Crying the argument needs to be very personalised if Labour are ro regain the voters who are lost.

I'm hoping Corbyn will do that. But it will be painful, they just don't get why people are fucked off about immigration.

That geo-politics is beyond most of us when we're trying to scrape the money together to buy our kids dinner or we're in rent arrears.

Its so depressing, but I have hope that things can change

Moving awU from areas of high unemployment is nigh on unattainable, if you're flat broke, though. Rent is low in these areas, people may have social housing that they can't afford to let go of and friends and family are close at hand, which means childcare, or someone to share the school run with, when you do land a temp job in poundland...

DB in North Wales almost broke his neck to claim his bus pass. In the first year he used it twice, because there were no buses to get anywhere.

www.poverty.org.uk/w75/index.shtml

Admiral and all Welsh people, I hope I,ve not offended with my posts.

You only need to look at the brains that have come from Wales to see how it punches above its weight in the intellect stakes!

To see areas of Wales left to fester and fail is truly sinful.

Poor rail links are when you have to drive from Cardigan to Carmarthan to catch a train to London and it still takes you 6 hours. Or try getting from London to Barmouth by rail on a Sunday. Or have a look at the "station" facilities in Welshpool - it's basically a platform with a bus shelter on it. Some of the tiny, branch line stations round here have more than that and Welshpool's a fair sized town. Seriously, I don't know why people aren't more pissed off - none of the ones I met were zombified or gormless.

We live in the Rhondda valleys. They can't build enough shiny new housing for all the people wanting to move here from Cardiff (I'm ex-cardiff myself). DH has worked from home for the last 3 years bringing in 6 figures. We have the benefits of village live with easy access to major roads to take us in any direction we like. DCs' (state) school has fewer than 10% on FSM.

We can't be the only ones breaking the OP's sweeping stereotype.

Buses are worse than trains, I couldn't tell you where my nearest bus stop is (thankfully we have cars) the times I have gone to use the train (cwmbach) trains have been late, not turned up and the tracks have had at least 10 drug syringes on them.

*life

Eh? I've made no generalizations. The "zombie' comment didn't even come from me, and yes, there are high earners (we're a six figure income household too),
There are high levels of unemployment.
There are low jobs.
There are failing businesses everywhere.
There is a high level of drug and alcohol dependency.
There are a lot of welfare claimants.
Not once did I say that Welsh people are thick as mince or earned a pittance.
The only generalizations I've made are true you can't tell me there isn't a problem because you make lots of money.
We make lots of money.
There is still a big fucking problem.

Isn't the extortionate shiny new Metro going to sort out valleys transport?

Look at the poverty stats for the whole county rather than your own village.
I've posted enough links for you to read through.

Live in Newport and it is pretty depressing. You see the damage that drink, fags and drugs do, people looking decades older than they are. You can't move for smoke being blown in your face, usually by someone with a child in tow :(

I don't know what can be done though.

I'm not saying we're all huddled around a lamppost clutching our giros and waiting for the only bus for four hours

PMSL!

For some reason this thread makes me want to watch Twin Town again.

Cocklodger Your area sounds horrid. That's a hell of a statement from someone who was born and raised in Trebanog. (A cluster of social housing on a mountain with a school and a shop) 4 buses an hour up there minimum and although poverty, alcohol and drugs really are an issue you're not likely to find syringes :/
rolling not offended. :D

I see what you are getting at OP. I live in a nice bit of London and always have done. Whenever I go to North Wales, I love it and am shocked at the same time, by the lack of opportunity, poor housing, shocking transport. London has its own problems but we don't lack for opportunity or transport (housing is its own issue).

The biggest crime of the Thatcher government was, imho, not closing the mines per se, but closing the mines without a single thought as to what was to happen next, and then buggering off. Where was the plan to reinvent the mining towns? What was the strategy? There wasn't one, as far as I can see.

We have this conversation every time we are in N Wales. Although to be fair it's also a problem in many other parts of the country. We need more than one thriving city in the UK. I work with loads of Italians and their country doesn't have an equivalent of London - a mega city that absorbs everything. It has lots and lots of Leeds and Bristols - thriving non-Capital cities. They have Rome of course and it's the political centre but it is not also everything else.

I love London btw and would never leave. But it can't be the only show in town.

The valleys has had a huge regeneration through EU money, and has lots earmarked for projects, which will all go as Wales voted to leave for some reason. But is now asking Westminster to garuntee the same funding continues now they've realised.
Depends on how far you are willing to travel to work, most of my friends have a 60-90min commute, lots of valleys communities wouldn't spend that to travel to Cardiff to work.

To those who suggest people should be leaving when the jobs go - we're not the US, we're tiny by comparison. The south east doesn't have enough water for the people already living there. If there's not to be massive overcrowding and the housing supply crisis is to be worked on, we need to spread out a bit, not all high-tail it to London...

P.s. Have you seen how beautiful it is to live in the valleys? Seeing the hills/mountains on your commute to work makes it far easier. Would take that over city loving every day.

I so so so dont get why the people of Wales voted mostly for brexit, as they received a lot of much needed subsidies

But I'm Scottish and voted to stay in Europe, along with most of Scotland

We have very high levels of unemployment and poverty here but we still realized we need to stay in Europe to safe guard the right wing Tories making this country even worse than it is

God help Wales and the rest of us now.

I wish issues like this would be taken out of government control and supported cross party. Governments seem to hide when changes take decades and do not provide results within a term. Any reforms then become a game of ping pong with opinion polls always considered . If the EU grants where distributed by the current government the opposition would argue for the sake of arguing. Whichever party is in control.

Admiral, I've lived in the valleys (mountain ash, Aberdare, pontypridd, porth and a few other places) for the last 10yrs so have seen the good and the bad, where I am now isn't that bad tbh.
I've never seen violence, never had issues with neighbours. The worst I see is the people out front clutching cans and cigarettes all day, but they keep to themselves and are no bother. I never find needles elsewhere, only on those particular train tracks. It's really quite bizarre as I've been there about 7 times and have never seen anyone shooting up there, or even looking high. Perhaps they come at night? No idea, but I've never seen it elsewhere

I have family in the Valleys and I do get a sense of a lack of investment and prospects when I visit there. I live in London and the contrast is noticeable (partly because the wealthy and less wealthy areas are often much closer to each other).

I've been supporting this charity for years
valleyskids.org/home/why-we-do-it/

There are serious issues that have never really between addressed since the loss of the coal and steel industry.

Usbound- I have beautiful views from my windows :)
But views don't put food on the table or a paycheque in your bank account. Views don't make a difference when you survive on your DCs leftovers. Views make no difference then. Not a bit.