April 2023 – County Councillor Reports
Below are the monthly reports from your County Councillors for the Radyr & Morganstown Ward.
Cllr Calum Davies – April report
Received by the Web Team on 4 May 2023
Congestion Charge
The Council have resolved the explore bringing in road-user charges, also known as a congestion charge in Cardiff. I and other Cardiff Conservatives called for an extraordinary meeting of the Council to discuss this. We oppose this for many reasons from a lack of viable public transport alternatives to punitively taxing people who must travel to Cardiff from deprived communities and it being unnecessary with Britain decarbonising faster than any other major economy to it not solving congestion, merely monetising it. I campaigned on opposing the anti-car agenda, and will continue to do so.
On a similar issue, I am pleased to see that the Council will finally seek to confirm Castle Street as one open to private vehicles once again. Since changing the rules during the Covid pandemic, the road has only been temporarily open to private vehicles but that will, hopefully, be set to change with it becoming permanent. Modelling has shown that this did not improve air quality, reduce the number of cars on the road, and pushed pollution into residential areas, just as Cardiff Conservatives told the Labour administration when it banned private vehicles from Castle Street three years ago.
Drover’s Way Park
There has been a minor delay in the drainage works at Parc Radur but work should be recommencing in May. This is down to Welsh Water requesting a change to the outlet pipe form the manhole and consequent planning permission-seeking.
Defibrillator
I am delighted that the Community Council has agreed to support my proposal for a new defibrillator in the ward. Whilst the ward is fairly well-served by this provision, they tend to be concentrated in certain areas. My proposal will see one installed at the Girl Guides building in Bryn Derwen, significantly reducing the distance for one. Whilst I shall be paying for the installation and components myself, this is only possible thanks to the Community Council agreeing to fund future running costs.
Heol Isaf speed repeaters
I reported that the speed repeaters on either side of the Park Road junction on Heol Isaf were not working and investigation found the two units in question had an intermittent fault and have been replaced. Work should commence in May to fix the issue and get them working again.
Buses
The Welsh Government’s Bus Emergency Scheme, due to end in March, has been extended, but only until the end of June. This is a fund that was designed to keep bus companies afloat during Covid, but patronage has yet to recover to pre-pandemic levels. I am really concerned about what this means for bus services in Cardiff. Whilst this funding was to get through the pandemic, it is Welsh Government and Council policies that is making this so much worse. We see patronage is down due to council and government working-from-home policies. Added to that, creating cycle lanes at the expense of road space when congestion is back to normal levels is a recipe for disaster as buses become slower and less reliable. These reasons are not guesses but what I hear from the industry.
I have nothing against cycle lanes as they encourage safe active travel. It is the same with working from home – if it works for both parties, then great. But poor implementation of the former and allowing huge public bodies to do the latter on mass will severely harm bus services, including Cardiff Bus, a Council asset. An anti-car agenda is having a very negative effect, leading to less effective public transport and more congestion, making tackling climate change harder as well as the ambition to increase services to the ward.
Surgery
I will be hosting my next surgery in Morganstown Village Hall between 5:30-7:00pm on Wednesday 17th May. No appointment necessary but do email me in advance if you’d like. Residents are politely requested to understand that the time available to them is subject to the number attending.
Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones – April Report
Received by the Web Team on 2 May 2023
Radyr
Playground Drovers’ Way SECOND PRIORITY
This is GOOD NEWS and we have seen workmen on site. Work did stop. Apparently, that was due to Welsh Water wanting a different pipe to be used in the connection process. Been advised that work will start back again as of May 3rd.
Lights in Drovers Way via the Playground towards Plymouth Drive
The Parc Radyr Management Company is still waiting for a final figure for an estimate for lights. Once this is received the PRMC will look for funding.
Pavements
Please let me know if there are pavements you feel badly need attention. Huge thanks to everyone who helps keep our streets so clean, the street cleaning team, the Litter Pickers and so many of us who quietly pick up a little bit of rubbish every time we go for a walk. It does make a difference.
Street Lights at the top of Brynderwen start of Drysgol Road
These are now working. Hurray!
Cars left by Ffordd Las
One car has been removed. The other, a black Vauxhall DG62 MLL is still in situ. Both were reported to the Police and the Council. Will be asking the Council again to deal with the Vauxhall.
Plasdŵr
Completing the road surface for Lon y Pererinion and Stryd Sils ap Sion
This I suspect is probably linked to the work that needs to be done in St Philberts. It’s becoming obvious that Redrow don’t want to come in and do one job and then return and do similar work with the same equipment in another street. In the meantime, we have residents with osteoporosis who dread driving out of the street.
Odour at Clos Parc Radur
No one has complained re smells for a while but have been told that there are still unpleasant whiffs occasionally drifting down the street. We do need time and date to get the developers to follow up. So please note the time and the day if you smell sewage in Clos Parc Radur and let me know.
Mobile Library The mobile library is coming to Parc Plymouth or close by. Have spoken to the gentleman who drives the mobile library. He is looking for places where he can park the vehicle. Not as easy we thought. Should have a definite date for you soon. Know the driver has been investigating Parc Plymouth.
St Philbert’s
Attenuation Tank
Discovered that a planning application has gone in for a new design for the tank.
Turning points for Bin Lorries
Mind blowing but the turning space for Bin Lorries is very tight. Have flagged this up so hopefully the next lot of house building in Cardiff will take into account the Bin Lorries. The new ones for the recycling are even longer and apparently haven’t got such good turning facilities. Another thing to flag up.
Community Engagement Worker
Would love to get funding for us to have a Community Engagement Worker in Plasdŵr. Second approach didn’t bring us joy. Will keep looking but if anyone knows a possible funding source, please let me know.
The Sidings
Sadly, there was a horrible accident on the bridge as you enter The Sidings. I have been down and looked to see if there is an obvious solution that would prevent another accident. Have spoken to the police. They couldn’t see any good road calming solution we could ask for because of the gradient on the bridge. Will now as the Council’s Traffic Safety section for their thoughts.
Know that many of you cycle along the old cart road between the river and the supporting wall for the City Line down to Danescourt. Have noticed that the river is eroding the bank in several places. Investigating at present but think the landowner is Taylor Wimpey and the responsibility for the riverbank is either Taylor Wimpey’s or Natural Resources Wales. Have flagged this up. Will be flagging it up again.
The maintenance men working in De Clare Drive on the communal space advised me they were making things good ready for the Council to take over. Cllr Davies followed through with this. We have had confirmation that the roads in the Sidings were adopted in 2021 and that the Council is in contact with Taylor Wimpey re adoption of the open space. They hope the transfer will be completed soon.
Morganstown,
Radyr Rangers (RR) THIRD PRIORITY
Mound Field and Radyr Rangers.
We need two things urgently. We need to have the full-sized pitch properly drained, so it is playable all year. Apparently once it is professionally drained it needs two years rest before it can be played on. Given that the all-weather pitch at Radyr Comp has only a guaranteed lifetime of three years and will need replacing completely next time round, we really need to get the pitch in Mound Field sorted quickly. (Yes, the Council is working on the problem for the Comp)
We also need to find the funds to build a Club House which can be a community asset. TfW are committed to build some facilities, and we are in talks with them. But the funds set aside, will not deliver what we really need. We are also looking on giving Radyr Rangers a lease on the land for the Club House which will enable Radyr Rangers to apply for more grants.
At the last consultation session with TfW in Morganstown Village Hall, Radyr Rangers were there and were showing people what their vision is. Very positive response from the people that came along with some useful comments based on local knowledge shared with them.
Morganstown Village Hall
We have been extremely lucky for many years to have had some very special people on the board of Morganstown Village Hall Management Committee. Some of them have whispered that they would love to step down and pass the baton on to other local people. So, if you would like to help, please let me know and I’ll pass your details on.
Save Cwm Farm
No one is sure whether the land that was up for sale will come back on the market. However, the group is setting itself up as a Charity, which means they would be able to apply for grant funding. There is a Facebook page Save Cwm Farm and the group would love to have even more supporters.
Bethel Chapel
Saddened to see it has been vandalised recently. The Community Council has asked Cardiff Council if they can help. There has been a site visit of the Community Council with Officers recently. We know the Council is taking this forward.
Throughout Radyr and Morganstown
Buses FIRST PRIORITY
There are many rumours about the buses. BES (Bus Emergency Scheme) that was put in place to help during Covid is due to finish 24th July 2023. This will make it difficult for Cardiff Bus Company. Whether it will affect Radyr and Morganstown we should know by the end of May.
We are going to start another petition and it would be helpful if you could write to Mark Drakeford and Kevin Brennan copying me in, telling them what problems it will give you.
Think the way forward will be to work out the extra costs that will arise if there is no bus service, and the impact on lowering our carbon footprint.
I do try to monitor the Facebook groups that I know exist and are well used by residents in Radyr and Morganstown.
But I did need to set up a Facebook page where you could post directly to me. Done at last, so please follow me at Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones
Community Art
We would love to have help putting up artwork to celebrate our different high days and holidays. Do please volunteer. You can contact me on Helen.LloydJones@cardiff.gov.uk, text me on 07977 395 625 or message me via Facebook to Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones
The Penrhys Pilgrimage Project were asked if they would advise an artist for ideas with Community Art in Plasdŵr.
I have also been asked for ideas for Community Art for the rest of Plasdŵr. I have invited Val Allen who has lived in Radyr all her life and whose family have been Radyr people for generations to come and meet the artist. If anybody has some interesting ideas re Community Art, please let me know.
Metro
TfW have put on three consultation sessions at Morganstown Village Hall. Have been advised that the work for the Metro in our area is about to finish, end of June, early July has been mentioned. We may experience a few more blockages along Kings Road and in The Sidings while some works take place further up the valleys, but they are not expecting us to have a large influx of cars this time.
The trains will be tested for about a year before they come on-line. I have objected to losing Footpath 1 which goes to Gelynis Farm because when the money becomes available for a Halt at Morganstown, that would be the logical place to site the station. I accept that for safety reasons there will be fencing either side of the track and that we will be using the bridge to cross the track.
Environment Scrutiny Committee.
The last meeting, we were looking at the proposals around Road User Payments. The Council is seeking permission to investigate the possible ways that this could be implemented. Nothing has been decided.
It is important that we all work together to reduce the air pollution in the city. Air pollution affects us all, our children are particularly vulnerable and recent research from Imperial College has found it even reduces sperm count in men.
It is accepted that our public transport systems will have to be improved. Did notice that other cities have special dispensation for different categories of people, including blue badge holders.
Economic and Culture Scrutiny Committee
The last meeting, I found interesting because we were given feedback from a project working with Cardiff Met encouraging people to become more active. Too early to have much hard data but a lot of very positive case histories where people have started exercise programmes.
One of the things that would be good to see in Radyr and Morganstown is more benches so that those of us who aren’t very fit can do lots of short walks and then have a rest!
Finally
I still remember watching the Queen’s coronation and the village party a few days later. There was so much excitement in the air. It was post-war and it gave us hope that the future would be good.
Enjoy the Coronation weekend, whether you are a Royalist or a Republican. It’s May Time, a time to celebrate after a long winter, a Hirlwm as the Welsh say, a winter that is long and that presses down on you. It has passed and we have summer ahead of us.
Thanks to the Radyr and Morganstown Association for delivering another wonderful festival and to everyone who helps behind the scenes.
Best wishes to you all.