Temporary road closure this Sunday

Denbighshire County Council is informing motorists in the Dee Valley  of a road closure due to take place between  Llangollen Bridge, Llangollen and The Sun Inn Public House, Trevor (A539) on Sunday,  21^st January 2018.

The road closure is necessary  to remove trees overhanging the road as a result of a recent road traffic collision.

Contractors will commence the removal works  at sunrise on Sunday, to try and keep any disruption to a minimum.   

The works should be completed by 10am, but there may still be delays to bus service T3 (operated by Lloyd’s Coaches) and bus service 5 (operated by Arriva Buses Wales).

During this road closure the A539 between Ruabon Interchange and Llangollen Bridge, Llangollen will not be serviced by buses.

The Council says it would like to thank motorists in advance for their co-operation.

Railway unveils 2018 events programme

Llangollen Railway has revealed details of its 2018 season.

Here, llanblogger brings details of events planned over the next couple of months ...

Sunday, February 11: Valentine’s Special. Spoil the one you love and take a romantic steam train ride through the beautiful Dee Valley and enjoy an afternoon tea with a selection of finger sandwiches, assorted sweet treats, full Welsh Cream Tea (with tea or coffee) and a glass of pink bubbly.

The trip includes a return train ride to Corwen and there will be a soft drink alternative available. Adults £32.00 each, children £17.00 each.

Sunday, March 11: Take a return trip through the beautiful Dee Valley. Enjoy an afternoon tea with a  selection of finger  sandwiches, assorted sweet treats, (with tea or coffee) and a glass of bubbly. Adults £32.00 each, children £17.00 each.

Saturday and Sunday, March 24 and 25: Come and see Peppa at Llangollen Railway. The cheeky little piggy will be appearing at intervals between 10:30am – 3.30pm on both days… don’t’ forget your camera! Take a  train ride to Carrog to see the magic show. Face painting available at intervals on Platform 1 at Llangollen Station.
Train ride to Carrog. At Carrog Station there is a magic show , colouring sheets, miniature train ride.

Saturday, March 31: Real Ale Train. 6.30pm departure from Llangollen Station. Step on board and soak up the atmosphere whilst enjoying the Real Ales on offer at our well stocked bar. Double return journey – arrive back approximately 9.30pm. £18 Advanced ticket price includes a free Llangollen Railway pint glass. Food will be available to purchase from The Station Cafe + Bar on the evening, along with a BBQ on the platform. Reserved seating will be provided for parties of eight or more. Advanced tickets – £18 per person with a FREE Llangollen Railway Pint Glass, tickets purchased on the evening – £20 per person.

Friday, April 6: Thomas the Tank Engine is back at Llangollen Railway Station. This fun-filled event offers children and their families the opportunity to take a ride with Thomas, meet The Fat Controller and enjoy trips on Thomas up and down Llangollen Station, you can ride in Rickety and Clarabelle as many times as you like. Take the Big steam Engine or Daisy the Heritage rail Car  to Carrog to the puppet show. Day Out With Thomas™ is an all day event and gates open at 10am.

Ticket Prices: Adults £19, Seniors £17, Children £11.50, Family (1 Adult + 1 Child) £27.50, Family (1 Adult + 2 Children) £38.00, Family (2 adults + 1 Child) £41.00, Family (2 Adults + 2 Children) £52.00, Children aged 2 and under free. All day ticket includes Brake Van Rides with Thomas & Clarabel at Llangollen Station, Unlimited travel on Daisy or Donald, Access to our Award winning Imagination Station. To book tickets please visit www.dayoutwiththomas.co.uk/llangollen.

Friday-Sunday, April 13-15:  Llangollen Railway’s ‘Spring Steam Gala . Full details will be added closer to the event.

Saturday, May 26: Come and see Paddington Bear  at Llangollen Railway. The cheeky little Bear  will be appearing at intervals between 10:30am – 3.30pm … don’t’ forget your camera! Take a train ride to Carrog to see the magic show. Face painting available at intervals on Platform 1 at Llangollen Station. Train ride to Corwen, stopping off at Carrog on the return journey. At Carrog Station there is a magic show , colouring sheets, miniature train ride.

AM raises concerns over bus services

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called for a Welsh Government statement on local bus services following the demise of Acrefair-based bus company D.Jones and Son before Christmas.

Mr Isherwood (pictured) referred to the concerns of local residents and said a statement is needed to reflect these concerns and give residents some assurances  that they are being listened to.

He said:  “No doubt like others, I received concerns from affected residents who had lost local bus services, asking for help in replacement of bus links.

"I submitted a written question to the Cabinet Secretary two days later, on the following Monday. I'm still waiting for a reply to that.

"I also contacted Wrexham Council's Lead Member for Environment and Transport, who told me that officers were continuing to look at options, but this is difficult as a number of operators have ceased across the region; that despite the Cabinet Secretary's (Ken Skates) Bus Summit, they'd seen no tangible actions coming forward and that having attended two to three bus workshops, this was most certainly a wider issue across Wales.

“The Cabinet Secretary held his Bus Summit a year ago, in January 2017, stating that this was to halt the demise of the industry, following the collapse of Ruabon-based GHA coaches the previous summer.

"So, given the concerns being raised not only by affected residents, who often are on commercial rather than on commissioned routes, and given concerns being expressed that, still, no tangible actions are coming forward from the bus summit and subsequent workshops, I would welcome a statement to reflect their concerns and hopefully give them some assurance that they're being listened to.”

The Leader of the House Julie James AM replied: “In terms of the local bus services point, he raises a very important point. He did say he was awaiting an answer to his written question, and I would suggest that the Member waits to see what the answer to the question is, and if there is a more general point that he then wishes to raise with the Cabinet Secretary that would be of interest to the entire Senedd,

"I'm sure that the Cabinet Secretary will be prepared to look at that, since it is a year since the bus summit took place.”

 

Health board reacts to Llan dentist closure

* The Chapel Street dental surgery which is now closed.

The local health board has responded to last week’s unexpected closure of the Chapel Street dental practice in town, which had been used by many local NHS patients.

* The closure note

in the window.

<sub>A Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board spokesperson told llanblogger: “Chapel Street Dental Practice in Llangollen closed unexpectedly on 15 January, 2018.

“We are making arrangements for the provision of NHS dental services on a cover basis until a permanent solution can be put in place.

“This will include exploring options for short term support from other nearby practices.

“Patients who require urgent treatment before they have registered with an alternative practice, should contact NHS Direct Wales on 0845 46 47.

“Patients wishing to see an alternative dental practice for the provision of routine dental care can find contact details for all NHS practices within North Wales on the health board’s website (www.wales.nhs.uk/sitesplus/861/directory/dentists) or contact NHS Direct on 0845 4647.”</sub>

Apartments plan for old Berwyn Works unveiled

A construction company has given brief details of the development of apartments it is planning on the site of the derelict Berwyn Works on the A5 in Llangollen.

Earlier this week Wrexham-based Knights Construction made a brief announcement about the scheme, for which it will be seeking planning permission, on social media, and llanblogger asked them for further information.

The company’s residential development manager Joel Smith replied to say: “We are looking at multiple - more than 20 - apartments on the site.

“We really want local people to live in this development and we feel that this will be reflected in our potential sales prices along with any affordable considerations that are stated within our section 106 agreement if planning is granted.

“At this early concept stage it’s clear that some but perhaps not all buildings on the site would need to go but more will become clear once planning is achieved.

“I would like to point out though that there are no listed buildings on the site.”

Mr Smith added: “We hope to submit planning within the next financial quarter.

“Everything we would do on the site would have local residents in mind with a view to enhance access and be as non-disrupting as possible when/if works commence.”

MP complains over controversial public appointment

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has signed a letter to Commissioner for Public Appointments calling on him to explain how controversial appointee Toby Young was put on the board of the Office for Students.  

The letter to Peter Riddell has been now signed by more than 60 opposition MPs.

Ms Jones (pictured) said: "People who hold public appointments need to be of the highest calibre and should also uphold decent ethical standards.

"However, five minutes spent searching on Google would have linked Toby Young to some really offensive comments against a whole range of people. It was only because so many people complained that he had to stand down.

"Most people in our area would have lost their jobs for saying far less than Toby Young did and I and other MPs want to know how he was even considered to be a board member of the Office for Students in the first place.

"I welcome the fact that on hearing of our the letter, the Commissioner has said he is looking into the appointment of Toby Young.

"However, it's vital we also get  a thorough review into the whole process of all the appointments to the board of the Office for Students."

Possible deal to save community garden revealed

* Volunteers gather in the garden during the recent snow. 

Llangollen Town Council could step in the save the area’s community garden from closure.

That’s the latest message from campaigners fighting to prevent the popular facility being lost to the local area by being sold off for housing development.

The garden had been threatened by a deal between a local developer and the landowner, Denbighshire County council.

At the end of last year the council's Asset Management Group decided to gift the 0.5-acre plot for housing on the basis that the developer will carry out works to nearby Plas Newydd.

Founders of the garden, which was established in 2012, say they received just four days’ notice ahead of the decision, which is still due to be ratified.

Only last week the campaign was featured in a report on BBC Wales TV news when North Wales reporter Matthew Richards interviewed a number of garden group members.

Now, people who signed a petition to save the garden have received an email from Warren Davies of the community garden group which says: “Thank you for signing our petition.

The council were due to make a decision today on the developer's proposal.

“However, your support has helped us delay the final decision on the garden to March 8th.

“With the financial support of an anonymous benefactor, Llangollen Town Council has made an offer to Denbighshire County Council to buy the community garden land.

“If this goes ahead, then the Town Council will work with the community garden group to ensure that the community garden is safe.

“This is great news. But we are not out of the woods yet, we have to keep the pressure on...

“If you have already written to your councillors then rest assured your input has had a huge impact on decision makers at Denbighshire County Council.”