Thursday, April 17, 2014

Councillors' fears over new health centre access

UPDATE ...
 
Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies has sent the following comment on the story below:
 
"Cllr Davies has continually pushed for Betsi Cadwallader to provide controlled crossings on the approach to the new Health Centre. He attended a site meeting last week with Highway officers and it was agreed that the relevant Highway specialist would meet with local Councillors on site next week to continue the negotiations.

"There have been developments with the bus provision for Pengwern in the short term. Confidential negotiations continue and he will update as soon as he has more news.

"Long term he has tasked DCC officers to explore the joint provision of a dedicated service to service the town and health centre."
Pedestrian access to Llangollen’s new health centre is going to present “absolutely horrendous” safety problems, according to a town councillor.

At Tuesday’s evening’s monthly council meeting a number of members voiced concerns about how people making their way on foot to the new centre will cope with what has been described as a traffic “pinch point” where the main A539 narrows just past the Four Poster B&B.
The issue was raised for debate by the mayor, Cllr Bob Lube, who said: “Access to the centre site can be extremely dangerous and I think we should discuss this.”

Cllr Phil Thane said: “The access could only be improved by compulsory purchase of property there and knocking it down, and I can’t see either the county council or the health board doing that.”
Cllr Sheena Burrell said: “We have been told that access will be made safer by bringing the traffic speed down to 30mph and putting in pelican crossings.

“The possibility of a footbridge over the river has also been mentioned by some people but we have been told this would be too expensive.
“I’m really dreading it. It’s damn dangerous because everything seems to overhang the road at that point and it’s quite dark.

“It’s going to be absolutely horrendous. If you get a wagon or a bus going past there as people are walking by it’s a recipe for disaster.”
She added: “I am recommending that we invite someone here from the county council to tell us exactly what they are going to do about it.”

Her recommendation was unanimously approved by members and the town clerk was authorised to invite a representative from the county’s highways department to address a future meeting of the council on the issue.     
 *A county council official with responsibility for public transport is also to be invited to attend a future council meeting at the request of members.

The invitation stems from concern raised about the possible axing of the Pengwern estate bus service.
Cllr Burrell said: “This is something we need to keep a very close eye on.”

2 comments:

  1. What would be wrong with traffic lights either side of the "pinch point"?

    The roadway is too narrow for two vehicles side by side, especially when one is a bus or a lorry, and drivers already operate a courtesy give-way protocol at that point. Traffic lights would formalise the existing practice.

    More dangerous to the new Health Centre is the speed of many vehicles leaving the town. Cars and vans are routinely travelling at well over 40 mph by the time they pass the Bishop's Walk entrance, despite the existing 30 mph limit. A speed camera pointing into town would reduce this problem.

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  2. Or - better yet - a signed priority system with white lines: "Give way to/Priority over oncoming vehicles". Cheaper than lights.

    Pedestrians are in danger when two vehicles try to squeeze through at the same time.

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