Woman rescued from car in river

Woman rescued from car in river

A woman is rescued as her car fills up with water after rolling down an embankment into a river near Port Talbot.

Pedestrian hit by car Manor way

Manor way as it was - what have you done??
A teenager has been arrested following a crash which has left a man in hospital in a critical condition.

The crash happened just before 0100 GMT on Saturday in Cardiff's Manor Way. A 30-year-old pedestrian was hit by a small white hatchback driving north.

Campaign to Stop Pavement Parking for Your New Year Resolution

I have leaflets printed to put on car windscreens - copy this or contact me for a printout 3 to a page to print yourself.

.................

Campaign to Stop Pavement Parking

NOTICE OF INCONSIDERATE PARKING

To the driver of the under mentioned vehicle which was observed parked in such a way as to impede the free movement of pedestrians and disabled people by a Living Streets Member

Vehicle Registration……………………………………… is

1. Parked on the Pavement

2. Parked in a bus lane or bike lane during operational hours.

3. Parked in a disabled person's parking space

______________________________________

Why did we leave this ticket on your windscreen?

You may not realise it, but you have inconvenienced a large number of people by leaving your car where it is. Pedestrians, Disabled people and Cyclists can find their journey continuously blocked by parked cars, and this can cause possibly dangerous situations.

Pavement parking makes it difficult for pedestrians, parents with pushchairs, the elderly, disabled people and others to walk on the pavement, to the extent that sometimes you have to walk on the road?

This situation can sometimes make people so angry that they have to restrain themselves from doing some damage to the vehicle in question. We know that the police and traffic wardens can't be everywhere, so we have made it possible to issue a gentle, slightly humorous and extremely cathartic reminder to remind you that what you are doing is antisocial, illegal and just plain wrong.

If you find it difficult to find anywhere legal to park your car in the city, it might occur to you that this is because there are just too many cars on the road. You can help to alleviate this situation by walking, cycling or catching the bus, train or tram, as thousands of other people have chosen to do.

If you wish to respond to this ticket you can email us at annegre@aol.com

However, you should be prepared to receive replies from a large number of pedestrians explaining how your actions have inconvenienced them. See http://inconsiderateparking.blogspot.com/

Cars parked inconveniently is Anti social behaviour

I thought it might be useful to get Professor Stuart Cole view on this campaign. So I wrote to ask.

Please could you give your support to my campaign to stop pavement parking, reduce congestion in cardiff and improve public transport.

I was doing some research on asbos and found that the government's favoured measure of anti-social behaviour ignores those problems that the public tell them are of most concern. A Home Office study found that the public ranked 'speeding traffic' (43% ‘very big’ or ‘fairly big’ problem) and 'cars parked inconveniently' (31%) as the two biggest 'anti-social' problems in their area. 'Teenagers hanging around' (28%) was ranked only the sixth most significant problem and 'noisy neighbours' (9%) was twelfth.

also cited in House of Commons Home Affairs Committee Anti–Social Behaviour Fifth Report of Session 2004–05 although vechicle related nuisance "Inconvenient/illegal parking" is perahps convienently missing missing from other research asking residents for their concerns anout asb!

Can Wales car addiction be cured?

Battle to break Wales' car 'addiction'
A revolutionary plan to break car drivers addiction to their cars is revealed ....
Paul Rowland, Western Mail, 29 Dec

The annual Admiral Drivers Survey reveals that people in Wales are more averse to using public transport than people anywhere else in Britain!

Drivers in Wales are more likely to regularly drive over the speed limit than their counterparts in any other region!

Employ more traffic wardens in Cardiff

New wardens to target bad parking
BBC News, UK - 23 hours ago
More councils in north Wales are to employ traffic wardens to tackle problems caused by illegal parking. Supporters said it would make roads safer for both drivers and pedestrians.

Welsh speed camera torched!

UK: Welsh Speed Camera Torched
TheNewspaper.com - Washington,DC,USA
A speed camera in Monmouthshire, Wales was destroyed by fire. The same device on the A48 in Caerwent had been attacked two previous times. ...

Why do motorists think that laws restricting speeding are somehow there to be broken? That is such a selfish attitude!

Inconsiderate parking ACTION in Cheshire

Car parking blitz nets 234 drivers
ic CheshireOnline - 20 hours ago
POLICE say a blitz on inconsiderate parking in Nantwich has proved there are real problems in the town. Officers ended their two-week campaign on Sunday, after booking more than 220 drivers and issuing another 14 with advisory notices.

Tesco lorries 'put school run pupils in danger'
Tottenham, Wood Green and Edmonton Journal - 20 Dec 2006
"St Mary's School has also raised concerns about possible danger to children because of inconsiderate parking as children are dropped off at school and we have agreed to step up enforcement at those times to make sure that children are safe.

Living Streets Wales calls for BAN on Pavement Parking

Living Streets Wales is calling for:

All pavement parking to be banned

• Clearer guidance from the Welsh Assembly Government on action expected from local authorities
• All local authorities to take on strict enforcement of parking regulations
• A national awareness raising campaign from police and local authorities on the hazards of inconsiderate parking

What You Can Do:

Write to your AM requesting clearer legislation against pavement parking

Contact your local police, local authority and local council to point out areas of persistent pavement parking

Become a Member of Living Streets and join others in demanding better pedestrian conditions.

Visit our website at http://www.livingstreets.org.uk/

Safe Speed: Signs must be visible, High Court rules

The High Court is wrong - people should know what the speed limit is on the different roads. The onus should be on motorists to drive safely. There are too many signs for motorists.

'The High Court has ruled today that people cannot be convicted of exceeding a speed limit if the signs cannot be seen. Wednesday, 20 Dec 2006 15:14'

Queen Street Railway Station Disgrace!

What a mess. As you come out of Queen Street station you have to cross the road TWICE to access Queen Street itself. Two sets of lights to wait for! How stupid is that - what idiot designed this? There are ususally more PEOPLE than cars!
It is time the station was cleaned up and modernised to make it accessible to all. How about connecting the station to the shopping centre opposite - now that would lake sense!

Can I get past please!

There is no need to park on the pavement blocking the way of pedestrians.

there is no need either to damage the pavements which are bad enough as it is!

Just trying to get around but could I get on this museum 'bus'?

Dishonest debate about worsening rail services in Wales

Rail Services
House of Commons debates Tuesday, 19 December 2006

Q. Will he take steps to ensure that there is a frequent railway service from all parts of the UK. What a pity he couldn’t answer the question.

A. Tom Harris (Hawk, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport First MP in Glasgow to have his own blog)
New franchise agreements specify a minimum service level that takes account of demand and network capacity. Bidders can propose more services, where that is operationally practicable. There are also provisions to deal with the need for extra trains during the life of a franchise.

Q. . Tom Harris (Hawk, Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport First MP in Glasgow to have his own blog)
What can my hon. Friend do to ensure that First Great Western provides a good reliable service into Wales in view of the fact that the 3.15 pm from Paddington now stops at Cardiff and does not go on to Swansea? The 7.3 am from Bristol to Cardiff and Swansea has been taken off altogether. What can he do to ensure that a better service is provided for Wales?

A, The 17.18 Cardiff to Swansea service run by First Great Western is a matter for the company: I do not have the authority to intervene in that matter and insist that that particular service is reinstated. However, the Department will continue to monitor passenger numbers on that route. I am told by First Great Western that capacity on alternative services run by Arriva Trains Wales is sufficient to accommodate passenger numbers on that line.

Adam Price
Adam Price (Carmarthen East & Dinefwr, Plaid Cymru) The discontinuation of the 17.18 from Cardiff to Swansea is an absolute disaster for passengers in Swansea and west Wales. In the new cross-country franchise in Scotland, the Government have stipulated the continuation of intercity routes, so why did they not specify routes to Swansea and west Wales in the case of First Great Western?

Tom Harris (Parliamentary Under-Secretary, Department for Transport) Link to this Hansard source
The hon. Gentleman is being slightly unfair in trying to draw distinctions between the devolved Administrations. When the timetable for that service was put out for consultation by First Great Western, it attracted very few public responses and I do not think that the hon. Gentleman responded to that change.

No Bus at Xmas and I haven't even a donkey!

As I said on Saturday, November 25, 2006

Don't plan to shop/party in the city centre at Xmas or New Year by bus! or WORK?

You would think that we would encourage people to go by bus into the city centre at Christmas and the New Year but no way!Cardiff Bus will be running a normal service up until Christmas Eve. Then the service will run as follows:Christmas Eve - Sunday 24 December - Normal Sunday service but with last buses at approximately 18:30 - far too early too stop so don't plan on shopping too late.Christmas Day and Boxing Day - No Service so don't plan to visit family or go to the park. Wednesday 27 to Saturday 30 December - normal Saturday service but with reduced daytime frequencies on main routesNew Year's Eve - Sunday 31 December - Normal Sunday service but with last buses at approximately 1900 so isn't this bad for business and won't it encourage people to drink and drive?
New Year's Day - No Service - spoil sportsTuesday 2nd January 2007 - normal service resumes

Speed camera blamed for congestion?

UK: Congestion Causing Speed Camera to be Removed
A highway speed camera that regularly causes five miles of traffic congestion is set to be removed within the next few months.

How dare they remove this camera! Shouldn't people stick to the speed limit all the time? It is the law. If they don't they end up in gridlock! What is this was used as an excuse every where!

Located on the M4 highway near junction 41 at Port Tablot, the device forces motorists to brake hard to avoid being mailed a citation for driving just a little over 50 MPH. "Being so close to a junction it causes a lot of congestion where there is not a history of accidents," Assembly Member Alun Cairns told the BBC. "Westbound congestion of a Friday evening regularly tails back in excess of five miles because people brake through instinct on observing the camera even when they are traveling within the speed limit."The Welsh Assembly Government will not consider raising the speed limit or removing nearby speed cameras.Source: Camera scrapped to cut tailbacks (BBC News (UK), 12/14/2006)

I think the post office shouldn't block bus stops in the City Centre either.

Park properly or you will be towed away!

Thanks to the Echo for highlighting problems caused by visitors parking on double yellow lines, in taxi ranks and disabled parking bays. Tow trucks will be on stand-by in Cardiff city centre this weekend to remove cars parked illegally.Park properly or you will be towed away! Dec 14 2006

New plan to destroy Cardiff City Centre

New plan is set to transform travel to the Bay
Dec 12 2006 Phillip Nifield, South Wales Echo

Will it be the same planners who designed this ugly car/lorry link?

Cardiff is drawing up plans for futuristic new transport links with Cardiff Bay.
Proposals have been invited for a transport system to link the city centre, Cardiff Bay and the international sports village. ....See the rail link between the city centre and Cardiff Bay demolished - flattening the 'eyesore' embankment between Butetown and Cardiff Bay.

Says who? Would this be improved by more 'luxury flats' and dull badly designed offices.

The removal of the line would not only allow the removal of the railway embankment and the Herbert Street bridge and create a huge area for development, but also dramatically improve the link between the city centre and Cardiff Bay.

Cardiff-based Plaid AM Owen John Thomas has already come out against the line's removal, branding the moves short sighted and ill-conceived.
He said: 'It is widely acknowledged by those travelling to Cardiff Bay that the existing rail service is by far the quickest and most efficient means of transport.
'It would be foolhardy to remove the track, embankment and bridge before having a detailed plan for a new service that would be an all-round improvement.'

Cops are worst of speeding motorists!

POLICE ARE WORST OF SPEEDING MOTORISTS
Sunday People, UK -
By Alex West. ON-DUTY police were the worst offenders in a list of Britain's fastest speeding incidents. Twenty-nine police forces ...
COPS LEAD SPEED LIST
Sunday Mirror, UK -
BRITAIN'S worst speeding motorists were revealed in a survey yesterday - and many were on-duty police officers. The highest speed ...

Cardiff divert buses to solve Christmas traffic congestion

It could only happen in Cardiff! You couldn't make it up! Other places divert traffic but here we make life difficult for the most disadvantaged.
Pensioners and disabled people will be forced to find their bus and walk a longer distance!!

Tree blocking path along Heol-y-felin

I was walking this way today when I spotted this
tree blocking the path!

Price of parking in Cardiff too low!

I agree with the new car parking charges. It costs £3 from Thornhill to go on the bus to the city centre and £10 for a family of 4! That makes it more expensive on the bus!

Split over plan to put up price of city parking
Dec 7 2006
PLANS to raise the price of city centre parking have been met with a mixed reaction from Echo readers.

Car lobby says boo and cardiff county council gives in!

Not environmentally friendly Cardiff! Car first capital

Cardiff parking zone plan changes

Plans for controlled parking zones (CPZ) in some of Cardiff's suburbs have been altered by the city council after objections were raised.

8 young drivers a week killed on Welsh Roads

Government statistics uncovered by Brake reveal that eight young drivers and passengers are killed or seriously injured every week on Welsh roads(1)

In the region in 2005, 67 drivers, passengers and motorcyclists aged 15-25 were killed and 340 were seriously injured.(2) Serious injuries include brain damage, spinal injuries and limb-loss.

Other results from Brake’s survey of 303 young people in Wales include more than a third have driven without a licence.

• One in 20 (5%) has driven a stolen vehicle
• One in five (21%) has been a passenger with a driver who they knew was unlicensed, uninsured, or who had stolen the car
• One in three (34%) has been a passenger in a car driven by a driver on drink or drugs.
• Almost half (45%) don’t always belt up in the back

Out of the young people surveyed who drive:

Half have broken 30 mph speed limits and

• Six in ten (60%) have overtaken at speed when they are unsure of what is coming in the other direction.
• A quarter (26%) have driven at more than 70mph on a rural road.
• One in 6 has driven after drinking alcohol
• One in 10 (10%) has driven on illegal drugs.

Figures obtained by Brake from the Department for Transport, 2006

Figures obtained by Brake from the Department for Transport, 2006

Buffet service cut on Cardiff to Paddington route

First Great Western. Have proposed to cut the buffet service between Cardiff and Paddington.

Transport 2000 condemned the absence of any measure to encourage more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Transport 2000 Pre-Budget Report

A step in the right direction, but still further to go

PRESS RELEASE ISSUED WEDNESDAY 6 DECEMBER 2006 FOR IMMEDIATE USE

Reacting to the pre-budget report, the pressure group TRANSPORT 2000 welcomed increases in duties on petrol and flying, but called for renewed investment in alternatives. It also condemned the absence of any measure to encourage more fuel-efficient vehicles.

Jason Torrance, Transport 2000 Campaigns Director, said, “We welcome the Chancellor’s move to double air passenger duties. This goes a little way toward bringing the real cost of air travel in line with other modes of transport. However, there is still a long way to go before the aviation industry pays its full costs in terms of carbon emissions and climate change, as recommended by the Stern and Eddington reports.”

“We also want the Government to make a firm commitment to spending the almost £1 billion that will be raised by this increase in air passenger duty on investment in more sustainable forms of transport such as buses, trams and trains, and travel choice programmes such as cycling and workplace travel plans, so that people have real and affordable choices in how they travel.”

On motoring, Torrance applauded the increase in fuel duty but insisted it’s not enough to bring the true cost of motoring up to realistic levels. “Since 2000 when fuel duty was first frozen, the real cost of motoring has fallen while public transport fares have continued to rise. The Government’s proposed increase in petrol duty of 1.25p/litre will start to tackle this, but there is much further to go.”

But Transport 2000 criticised the Chancellor for doing nothing to promote fuel efficient cars. Torrance said: “The European voluntary agreement has failed to cut car pollution. The Chancellor should have increased taxes on gas guzzlers such as the big 4x4s and cut them for low emission vehicles. Without these measures, our car manufacturing will be vulnerable to competition from Japan and China, as in the US.

Lack of green spaces put kids off waking

'Stranger danger' threat and lack of green spaces put kids off walking

Beulah Road now and 1925!

Relationship between walking levels and perceptions of the local neighborhood environment

Perceived 'stranger danger' and lack of green spaces put off children from walking more, suggests research published ahead of print in the Archives of Disease in Childhood.

The research team surveyed six primary schools in Birmingham, UK, located in a cross section of areas in and around the city.

In all, the responses of 473 children between the ages of 9 and 11 were collected on the grounds that lifelong patterns of physical activity are established at around this age.

The survey covered questions about how often the child had walked in the previous week, their perceptions of the local environment, and their individual preferences for modes of travel. A smaller group of parents (191) responded to questions about car ownership and family matters, including ethnicity.

Children who made more than the average 20 trips by foot in the previous week were classified as ‘high’ walkers, and comprised just over 40% of the sample

Those who walked less than this were classified as ‘low’ walkers and comprised well over half of the sample (58%).

There was no difference between the sexes, but higher numbers of children of black and minority ethnicities were classified as ‘low’ walkers. Those whose families owned at least one car also tended to walk less.

Only a third of children felt that heavy traffic made the local roads dangerous. Furthermore, this view did not deter children from walking.

More of those who were classified as high walkers perceived the neighbourhood to be full of traffic.

Almost two thirds of children and over three quarters of parents expressed anxiety about ‘stranger danger.’

And children classified as low walkers were more likely to worry about strangers when out alone, to claim that there were insufficient local parks and sports grounds, and to prefer travelling by bus or car.

"Our findings suggest that perceptions of the local environment are related to walking levels in children," conclude the authors, adding that walking is a convenient way of boosting exercise levels and tackling the rising tide of childhood obesity.

Contact: Emma Dickinson edickinson@bmj.com
44-020-738-36529
BMJ Specialty Journals

Public release date: 6-Dec-2006

Radical transport planning puts the pedestrian first!

What a mess in Cardiff City centre!!

I urge you to consider the York hierarchy adopted radical transport planning - see below – or try Hull! How can they find the cash? I hope the increased parking charges will be spent on better crossing facilities and footpaths!
Getting your local council to put walking first

• Adopt a priority road user order. York City Council did, and they prioritised it like this:
  

1. Pedestrians
2. People with disabilities
3. Cyclists
4. Public transport users
5. Commercial and business vechicles
6. Car borne shoppers
7. Coaches, car commuters and visitors

How much is the council here spending on roads and related repairs and railings as compared to traffic calming pedestrian crossing etc. How much have the council received from planning gain in this neighbourhood?

Perhaps it would be useful to audit what the council has promised and what it said it would do!

Please have a look at City of York Local Transport Plan 2006-2011Annex B Walking Strategy

City of York Local Transport Plan Cycling Strategy 2006-2011 Annex C

Compare this with Cardiff’s walking stategy.

Perhaps you could look at this and decide if this policy is working. In particular note that policies to improve things does not always require funding e.g.

A37 To ensure high priority is given to ensuring appropriate facilities for walking are an integral part of development proposals.

On-going No specific funding required

Decriminalisation which was promised and will move responsibility for parking offences to the council will improve revenue to the council to fund the necessary improvements. Have you any idea when this is going to happen?

Crossing Facilities

Virtually all signalised crossings in York are now disabled-compliant, in line with the Disability Discrimination Act recommendations. To achieve this they have been fitted with audible warning devices, rotating cones and dropped kerbs with coloured tactile paving.

What progress have we seen in Cardiff? How many crossing remain to be converted?

Making crossings comply with legislation in York

Around 8% of car journeys in Wales are less than 1 mile, 26% are less than 2 miles and 58% are less than 5 miles2. While there will always be some short trips for which a car is the most convenient choice (carrying heavy shopping for example), many of these short journeys could be done on bicycle or by foot.

W15 The Council will endeavour to provide and improve crossing facilities, including the number and location of crossings and wait times at junctions wherever a need is identified, in order to achieve the most direct routes for pedestrians.

In Cardiff more often crossroads have only crossings on 2 or 3 sides!

Wood street is an example of how railings make it more dangerous for pedestrians as that encourages traffic to go faster and the fact that the crossings here are in the wrong place has led to the deaths of a number of people!

Recently on the Caerphilly Crossroads a campaign stopped traffic lights being installed and others put in totally the wrong place. If we had the MOST DIRECT ROUTE for pedestrians we would a crossing at the end of the street!

Rhiwbina needs a pedestrian crossing at the Spar end of the village.

W16 The Council will provide dropped kerbs and associated tactile paving at all new footway crossing points, and as part of programmed improvement schemes at existing road crossings.

W17 The Council will take into account the needs of disabled persons with the use of and adherence to the Department for Transport’s Inclusive Mobility Document as
good practice.

Whar progress has been made and how far have we to go to achieve this?

4.4.6 People can be put off walking if access is blocked by illegally parked vehicles.

W18 The Council is considering improvements to parking enforcement through a process known as decriminalisation. This means responsibility for enforcement will transfer from the Police to the Council.

Flooding of roads and footpaths dissuades people from walking. The Welsh Assembly Government in their Walking and Cycling Strategy for Wales (December 2003) suggest a programme of street audits to address the quality of the urban realm in major towns and cities, to improve the quality of public space and to remove obstacles and provide clear, legible and safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists.

(This could be simply organised.)

4.5.3 In addition to maintenance, attention will need to be given to improve the attractiveness of all highways used by pedestrians.

W21 The Council will endeavour to provide increased numbers of seats, shelters, signs, information points, toilet facilities and lighting, where appropriate.

W22 The Council will also seek to reduce street furniture clutter by amalgamation of signs, removal of poles etc.where appropriate in order to improve the quality of pedestrian routes.

4.5.4 Where new highway schemes or improvements to existing

highway infrastructure are proposed, the needs of pedestrians should be considered first, to ensure that appropriate facilities, where necessary, can be provided.

W23 The Council will produce a set of good practice guidelines for walking for those designing and implementing highway and traffic management schemes or involved in transport planning.

A31 Reduce street furniture clutter by amalgamation of signs, removal of poles etc. where appropriate in order to improve the quality of pedestrian routes. On-going Local Authority funding W22

Way to go!!!

A32 Good practice guidelines

A37 To ensure high priority is given to ensuring appropriate facilities for walking are an integral part of development proposals.

On-going No specific funding required

Councillor Adrian Robson and Jayne Cowan reply

Jayne and I are sorry you couldn’t make our surgery on Monday, so here are a few points in answer to your questions.

Heol Llanishen Fach:

With the Heol Llanishen Fach Road Narrowing (HLF), the overwhelming majority want it removed and something else in its place. In my opinion it is one of the most dangerous traffic calming measures in Cardiff – however there must be something to replace it. The replacement option we are supporting is traffic lights. This would have the advantage that everyone would have their “turn”. Therefore traffic going East-West along HLF would be one phase, traffic going North-South along Heol Uchaf & Blaen-y-Coed would be another (although I expect the majority of traffic will be turning left or right out of Heol Uchaf) would be the second phase and the third phase would be just for pedestrians with no traffic movements. Whilst this may mean pedestrians may have to wait for the lights to change, I strongly feel this will be safer than the current situation where no driver is quite sure who has right of way through the narrowing.

Traffic congestion:

Traffic congestion needs to be given some serious thought by the Council, rather the road-by-road approach at the moment. There needs to be a serious look at the public transport options – for example park and ride, trying to extend the Coryton railway line etc. The problem is that when you have a Council which at one point this financial was heading for a projected overspend nearing the £7m mark, investment in new public transport is likely to be one of the first items put on hold.

Another factor which many constituents raise with me is the construction of J31 of the M4. However when I raised this at Council some time ago, not only did the Council Leader say that it was not on his list of priorities, but the Llanishen Councillors were not at all in favour. I can understand this to some extend as some of the congestion in Rhiwbina is certainly caused by traffic using Beulah Road and HLF to get through from the M4 & A470 to Llanishen. A lot of this traffic would end up going through Llanishen instead of Rhiwbina!

Lack of pedestrian crossings:

I think the Council is getting better at placing pedestrian crossings around the place. However in Rhiwbina there are some areas where they are needed (for example HLF needs at least a pedestrian refuge in several places – and there is likely to be a zebra crossing at the Heol-y-Deri end of HLF). The problem is that there are 75 Councillors all saying the same things for their own respective wards – and I’m afraid there is a long waiting list for many of them.

Badly maintained footpaths:

Once again monetary issues come into effect here, but Jayne has pointed me to an email she received the other day from a Council Officer which states:

I would point out that defects in a paved footway are a projection or sharp edge of 20 mm or more in height, a crack or gap between slabs of 20 mm or more in width or a rocking slab. Defects in a tarmac/concrete surface are potholes greater than 20 mm deep or a difference in level between adjacent walking surfaces of 20 mm. Anything less than this is not considered a safety defect.

I would point out that broken paving stones will not necessarily warrant repairs unless rocking or producing a trip of 20 mm or over”.

One thing I do have concerns about (and it is the same with roads) is where gaps in pavements are simply filled rather than being properly re-laid. I am sure this is simply due to finances, but they need repairing again sooner. However I cannot see the Council changing its method of repairing pavements/roads for many years.

Cycling:

I have an issue with the cycle lanes which are being put in which go along for a short distance before stopping to allow for a road junction and then restarting for a similarly short length. I fear they are more dangerous to cyclists than not having one at all – no wonder they cycle on the pavements. However cycle lanes which are longer (such as the new one which runs next to the pavement by the new houses on the old AWE site) are good. I am concerned that many roads in Rhiwbina though are not wide enough for cycle lanes both ways and traffic, but new developments have to take these things into account. The Planning Committee does consider the provision for pedestrians, cyclists and traffic (and the proposed levels of provision) when looking at planning applications.

I hope that answers some of your queries.

Lastly, I noticed on your blog the comment labelled “Intelligent design needed in Cardiff”. I see that the photo is of the bungalow adjacent to the railway line on Pantbach Road, which has received planning permission for 2 houses on this site. Both Jayne and I spoke in opposition to this at the planning committee and I am concerned about how this granted planning permission could set a precedent. I quite agree it alters the character of the neighbourhood.

With Kind Regards,

Adrian.

Adrian Robson

arobson@cardiff.gov.uk

Independent Councillor for Rhiwbina Ward

Cardiff County Council

Intelligent design needed in Cardiff!

Brownfield is a loose term used to describe land which has already been developed, as opposed to green field sites, which have not. Unfortunately residential gardens also qualify as brownfield sites. Increasingly speculators are being allowed by councils such as Cardiff County Council to use this loophole in areas where house prices are high such as Cardiff North and buying up property which are advertised encouragingly as on ‘ a large plot’ proceed to knock it down and build two or more. Pressure is also used to persuade home owners even 3 at a time to sell up so the land can be used for building. This should be stopped or at least strictly regulated as it is overdevelopment, leads to more land being concreted over adding to flash flooding, adds to congestion and completely alters the character of a neighbourhood.

Genuine brownfield sites are being developed in city areas with no regard to traffic congestion which already almost gridlocks Cardiff particularly on Caerphilly Road. About 600 homes have been developed to a FAR FROM ‘liveable’ design which means for example that there are no cycle lanes or consideration of pedestrians or children resulting in streets of fear trapping people in their homes. All is excused because planning was granted x number of years ago and we are as a community expected to tolerate this nonsense.

The Eddington Transport Study misses the opportunity to point out the obvious that we must put the car at the bottom of the hierarchy of road users. The biggest barrier is that transport decision makers believe that this is what people want when actually the majority want greater investment in more environmentally friendly modes of transport. The same applies to planning.

Western Power Distribution proposed to build 326 houses around the reservoir which they decided to reduce in size. The Llanishen Reservoir Action Group have fought hard for five years against the proposal and after the Council failed to decide on the proposal within their eight -week statutory period it was referred to a public enquiry. Western power actually hired people to pose as ‘park type wardens’ and went into local primary schools to persuade them that the plans would benefit the community! They came back with an amended second proposal but they say if they don’t get permission to build 246 houses on the Llanishen site they will drain the huge reservoir dry, stop all access and tear down the sailing centre. In an email to Cardiff Council, Western Power says the move would be to “minimise our costs and risks”. Ted Thurgood of the Action group said " it is important that we save some of the green areas left in our beautiful city that our forefathers fought so hard to keep." Yes indeed, but why is it so difficult –in spite of the grand words - so much for policies and practice that in reality aren’t what any community wants.

Rocky roads ahead

Guardian Unlimited - UK
... suggested as priority, just one is in Scotland and none is in Wales, a picture ... For one thing, there is the politics of the congestion charging that Sir Rod ...http://politics.guardian.co.uk/green/comment/0,,1962379,00.html

Parking Rage

Someone's blowing up parking ticket machines in Sussex with industrial-size fireworks. The latest attacks in Lewes, East Sussex, destroyed three machines and police last night offered a £3,000 reward to catch the culprits.

Study calls for transport reforms

Sweeping reforms of the planning system and more road pricing schemes are needed to improve Britain's transport system, according to a government commissioned report out today.
epolitix news

Bus stop changes

Shoppers travelling to and from a busy Valleys town by bus are being warned about changes in the run-up to Christmas.

Buses stopping along Blackwood's High Street will be using different locations for each route. Details are available from Caerphilly Travelinks on 01495 235223 or Traveline Cymru on 0870 608 2 608. NOV 30 2006 Wendy Horton, South Wales Echo