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Referendum roadtrip (2)

David Cornock | 09:57 UK time, Tuesday, 1 March 2011

You learn a lot beyond Westminster. I had no idea until last week that a hotel in Prestatyn boasted a Vorderman suite.

I didn't venture beyond its door so I can't tell you whether it includes a clock and lots of large letters in honour of herself, one of the town's favourite daughters.

Prestatyn, the end of my journey from Chepstow, is also the end (or the beginning) of the Offa's Dyke path, a scenic route from south to north.

The map, and the dyke, tell you that Knighton is in Wales, although analogue TV is still available here as part of the ITV Central region - one reason, perhaps why locals seem less than absorbed with the referendum on the Welsh assembly's powers.

Jim Saunders, of the Offa's Dyke association, told me: "People who live around here on the border have had this arguably for centuries, wondering whethere you're in England or in Wales but certainly I've been around here twentysomething years and I would say the differences are gradually increasing and yes that is tending to make life more confusing and more complicated if you live on the border."

As the dyke crosses the border 27 times, perhaps confusion is understandable. More Welsh laws means more work for Welsh lawyers. I met Rachel Vasmer in Wrexham; she's a partner at solicitors Walker Smith Way, specialising in clinical negligence.

She's noted clear diferences growing between Wales and England. Wales has its own clinical redress scheme launching next month, a scheme that may allow patients redress for complaints without lengthy court proceedings.

Ms Vasmer told me that she sees no reason why there shouldn't be a distinct body of Welsh law, as there is a distinct body of Scottish law, but she says there has to be provision to deal with cross-border issues and lawyers need to be aware of the differences.

She wants the assembly to be able to make laws in devolved areas without asking Westminster first but says some issues - such as organ donation - are better decided across Wales and England.

I met at his home near Wrexham. He's a chartered architectural technologist - he plans and designs buildings and extensions.

He's voting "no" because he thinks Westminster's current role in scrutinising assembly requests to legislate is important. He works on both sides of the border so in future he'll have to include sprinkler systems in Welsh homes.

Mr Smith supports the sprinkler law as it makes houses safer but says feedback from his clients has been negative because of the expected additional cost of £2,000 or so.

Back on the promenade at Prestatyn few of the voters I spoke to appeared to be that knowledgeable about Thursday's vote, although it's possible they were not a representative sample.

At least the yes/no nature of the question suggests it should be possible to count the referendum votes without having to draft in ace mathematician Vorderman for help.

You can see the second half of my referendum roadtrip on Wales Today this evening.

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