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. Pedestrians2. People with disabilities3. Cyclists4. Public transport users5. Commercial and business vechicles6. Car borne shoppers7. 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
What a mess in Cardiff City centre!! 
