New name board is a sign of the good times for Corwen station project

Llangollen Railway's Corwen station project has received a new name board (pictured) on the eastern end of the platform.

The substantial piece of joinery was lifted into position by volunteers after it was delivered to the site.

Sponsored by rilway enthusiasts' group the Foxcote Manor Society the double-sided name board was constructed by Llangollen Railway member Graham Hoyland[

As a traditional form of station running-on board, it will announce to train passengers their arrival at Corwen and can now be seen as a prominent fixture on the platform, adding to the heritage features already in place.

It can be readily appreciated by walkers across Corwen Common and its erection was a big boost for the project volunteers.

Running-in boards are no longer a feature of stations on the national rail network having been superseded these days by on-train announcements. 

A similar board was unveiled in the Corwen town car park back in December 2011 as a statement of the railway’s intention to return to the adjacent embankment.

It has taken rather longer than originally envisaged, but that board remains in-situ as a local feature announcing to road users where they have arrived.

Traffic changes in town centre to start this month, says council

* Social distancing work on the town centre will goa head in 

mid-October, according to the county council.

The county council says it will implement its plans to allow better social distancing in Llangollen town centre by the middle of this month.

The Active Travel schemes approved for this town and other in Denbighshire were given the go-head by county councillors at the end of August.

But there had been speculation about a hold-up as work has not yet started in Llangollen.

However, in answer to a question from llanblogger about this, a spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: “The proposed scheme is scheduled to go ahead as planned with works commencing on site in mid-October.”

Locally, the work will mean: 

* The creation of more space for social distancing by widening the pavements along Castle Street and on Abbey Road at the junction with Castle Street by the removal of parking and the use of ‘lane defenders’ to create safe areas for pedestrians and cyclists.

*  Creating a ‘one-way’ street on the first section of Market Street as it leaves Market Street. The one-way section would only allow traffic to enter Market Street from Castle Street. Vehicles wishing to enter Castle Street from Market Street will follow the route via East Street and Parade Street.   

*  The closure of the link road between Hall Street and Berwyn Street (A5)

*     Reversing the direction of flow of vehicles on Church Street

*   Support cafes, pubs and restaurants to introduce outside seating

The council has said that the changes will be made by a temporary traffic order for up to 18 months and that their effect  be closely monitored as they are introduced.

Detailing the plan in August, Lllangollen county councillor Graham Timms said: "The results of the formal consultation showed huge support for the introduction of these measures. 

"It has been clear to residents over the last few weeks that social distancing in the town has been almost impossible to achieve. 

"The narrow pavements and the huge increase in the number of visitors since the lockdown ended has created a very difficult situation. Many residents have avoided the town centre because they do not feel safe on crowded streets in the middle of the day.

“Both Cllr Melvyn Mile (the other local county councillor) and I were strongly in favour of the introduction of these measures. We believe that they are essential to enable residents and visitors to feel safe in the town centre.

“Denbighshire’s formal consultation through the County Conversation website gave a huge ‘thumbs-up’ for the proposals with nearly 83% of those that responded ‘strongly agreeing’ and a further 12% ‘somewhat agreeing’ with the proposals. Only 5% of the replies were negative."

He added: “The reversal of the one-way traffic flow on Church Street should result in a significant change in the number of vehicles using this route as a 'short cut', particularly at the times just before and just after the school day. This will lead to a much safer route to school for children and their parents who walk and cycle to and from school along this very narrow road.

“The closure of the road between Berwyn Street and Hall Street that passes between Stan’s garage and the M’eating Place will help to make this area safer for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists.

“Some businesses expressed their concerns over the loss of ‘pop and shop’ parking and the lack of loading bays by signing a ‘template’ letter which was sent to the council separately. I believe that it is important to address these important concerns.

"The ‘loading bay’ issue has been addressed by providing a bay on the Market Street and Castle Street junction. On the provision of short stay parking, Mel Mile and I have been pressing the council to give free parking in all car parks for 30 minutes to allow ‘pop and shop’ visits for those on the outskirts of the town. 

"The county responded with two hours free parking in East Street Car Park. Other towns in Denbighshire will also get a similar concessions. 

"We don’t think that this meets the needs of Llangollen and so we will continue to press the case for a ‘free half-hour’ in all our car parks to encourage local shopping in the town centre.

“It is vitally important that local residents and businesses pull together to create a town centre that is vibrant and safe for everyone in these very difficult times."

But there was opposition to the plan from the former chair of Llangollen Chamber of Trade and Tourism, David Davies, who claimed banning parking in Castle Street is a waste of money and will have a “negative, deadening effect” on the town centre.

He said: “Castle Street businesses are angered to see that the county council is proceed with the traffic order banning all parking and deliveries in the street on the pretence of Covid-19 social distancing and active travel reasons.

“Twenty-eight businesses - 80% of all operating businesses in the street - individually signed letters of objection to DCC."  

Sportage is fast but at the cost of fuel economy

* Above and below: the Kia Sportage. 

Kia Sportage road test

For months I have been praising the economy of small petrol engines. Well, I hit a brick wall with the Kia Sportage.

Kia has been developing new engines to meet the latest emission demands and, like many other manufacturers, has built a small engine with a lot of power but in this case not much in the way of economy.

To be fair this is the more powerful 174bhp version of the 1.6 litre which, with the help of a twin scroll turbocharger, shoots Sportage to sixty in well under nine seconds yet it only averaged 30mpg. 

To add a little context to the debate the big Skoda Superb featured a few weeks ago averaged way over 50mpg with a 1.5 litre engine and is less than half a second behind the Kia in a sprint.

Okay, a saloon is going to be better on fuel than an SUV but by that much? Even if you drop down to the turbo-free 1.6 the official average is only 35mpg.

Interestingly a motoring writer friend who switched from diesel to the turbo 1.6 said he would never trade the loss of economy for the sparkling performance of his new Sportage and I know what he means because this is one quick motor with plenty of punch at low revs, able to pull away in top at just over 1000rpm. Impressive.

That said I came down to earth with an even bigger bump when I towed my caravan to Devon and averaged 19.4mpg. Not a problem if you have deep pockets may be but having to top up after just 200 miles is still a pain. Imagine a drive to the south of France.

The 1.6 litre diesel is a better option for economy but its towing capacity is limited unlike the all wheel drive petrol turbo which can pull just about any size van with its 1900kg limit while the towball can take a useful 100kg.

Economy aside I found Sportage pretty much the ideal tow car. As an SUV it sits high so there are no worries about jockey wheels smashing against speed humps which can happen with low riding saloons or hatchbacks, and with the back seats down there is ample room for everything you do not want to store in the weight restricted caravan, it easily swallowed two adult bikes and a lot more.

It towed my four berth caravan with ease and the trailer stability assist which counters snaking in high winds is reassuring. It also reduces sway when overtaking long artics on the motorway, a far more regular occurrence.

I would certainly go for the seven speed auto over the six speed manual which is a notchy change and too easy to stall because of its sharp clutch and throttle, all very embarrassing for someone who has had enough experience of balancing clutch and accelerator on countless cars!

Sportage took off with the third generation in 2010 and has been like a wild fire ever since outselling some big rivals and topping Kia's sales charts until last year when it lost out to the growing Ceed family.

The seven year warranty is a big draw but there is a lot more to Sportage. Build quality is as good as any in its class and scores well on spec right from entry level. Level 3, tested here, is really well off with panoramic sunroof, heated steering wheel, leather seats, power adjusted for driver and passenger, and heated not just in the front but the two outer back seats as well.

The 8in touchscreen controls navigation, radio, Bluetooth, smartphone connectivity and other lesser functions and, unusually, there are four decks of switches. The quick keys on the top row are a great benefit while the heating and other aids are clearly marked and easy to reach.

I found a few relatively insignificant additions particularly useful like the extending front sunvisors, two 12-volt sockets and USB port in the front and more for back seat passengers while front wiper de-icer will be welcome on frosty mornings.

Sportage gained a few centimetres in length in its last upgrade so there is no shortage of legroom particularly in the back. And while we are at the back of the car the designers would do well to include sidewall levers should the back seats need to be dropped while loading the boot.

Need to know

Sportage 3 AWD

£28,555 (starts £21,010)

1.6 T-GDI 174bhp

0-62mph 9.2secs; 126mph

32.1mpg combined

201g/km. 1st road tax £1,305 then £150pa

Insurance group 20

Boot 491-1480 litres

Confirmed Covid-19 case is associated with Ysgol Bryn Collen

Denbighshire County Council has confirmed this evening that 14 pupils from nursery and reception classes and two members of staff  from Ysgol Bryn Collen in Llangollen will be required to self-isolate until October 14 following a confirmed Covid-19 case associated with the school.  

Across other side of the county, 22 Year 6 pupils and two members of staff at Christ the Word Catholic School, Rhyl, will be required to self-isolate until October 16 following a confirmed Covid-19 case associated with that school.

The council says that both schools remain open and that it is working closely with the schools affected, Public Health Wales as well as NHS Wales Test, Trace and Protect to ensure appropriate measures are in place to protect pupils, staff and the wider community.

Letters have been sent to parents and guardians today (Sunday) informing them of the position.

Parents/guardians have been advised to remain alert for the main symptoms of coronavirus:

* A new or continuous cough

* A high temperature

* A loss of or change to sense of smell or taste

Those advised to self-isolated should book a coronavirus test if they develop any of these symptoms, even if they are mild. A test can be booked by phoning 119 or online: https://www.nhs.uk/ask-for-a-coronavirus-test

Advice requires those self-isolating to stay at home, not to go outdoors to exercise, to visit shops, family or friends, or to other public spaces. Please do not invite people to your house.

Further formation on Test, Trace, Protect can be found here https://gov.wales/test-trace-protect-coronavirus

New app helps locate waste-beating businesses

Shoppers in Llangollen, Ruthin and Mold are being encouraged to say goodbye to pointless packaging as award-winning campaign Refill expands.

The Refill campaign has already saved 100 million pieces of plastic from our oceans to become the world’s first dedicated app to help people find locations to reuse and refill.

The app is now available to help people in Llangollen, Ruthin and Mold to live with less plastic by making it easier to eat, drink and shop packaging-free.

Morrisons, LUSH, Costa and some local businesses are amongst the brands signed up to the campaign.

Since October 1 people in the three areas are able to use the free app to find out where to refill their coffee cup, water bottle or lunchbox, shop for groceries and top up their cleaning products and toiletries packaging-free.

The app will also highlight where discounts might be available to reward customers for reducing their single-use packaging. 

This means that businesses in Wales who offer reuse or packaging-free options can use the app as a free marketing platform to drive footfall and increase sales.

In Wales, thanks to Welsh Government funding. there are already more than 1,600 Refill Stations offering drinking water. 

The Welsh Government has a long-standing aim for a zerowaste Wales by 2050, and is consulting on restricting the sale of some single-use plasticsfrom 2021. 

It is hoped that the Refill app could make a big contribution to driving the necessary behaviour change to deliver this, making re-use and refilling the new social norm.

* Consumers looking for businesses who offer refills, reduce packaging and support zero waste initiatives, should download the app at https://refill.org.uk/get-the-refill-app/.

New faces join revived Llangollen Coronavirus Help Group

* The Facebook logo of the coronavirus help group.

As a new local lockdown begins the highly successful Llangollen Coronavirus Help Group has swung back into action.

The group was set up by Cat Meade, from Wingetts estate agents in Castle Street, just days after the Covid-19 crisis began back in March.

With a help of a large network of volunteers it ran a host of vital community services  ranging from the sourcing and supply of PPE for the those in the front line to the regular delivery of prescription meds and daily newspapers to vulnerable people shielding across town.

Cat even found time to run a series of popular raffles for the benefit of local businesses and good causes in the area.

Cat is still involved but now there are two new co-ordinators with the group, town councillors Austin “Chem” Cheminais, who is also Llangollen’s town crier, and his colleague John Palmer.

Cat said on Facebook of the changes: “As we are now in local lockdown for two weeks just a quick update to advise plans are in place to assist. Councillors Austin Cheminais and John Palmer are on board assisting our community going forward.

“I am unable to pick up the main control role due to work and personal life, however I will be on here for updates and always in the background.

“Hopefully, this will be two weeks, however let’s follow the guidelines and keep our town safe.

“Please support local businesses during this time #shoplocal #helpout #eatlocal.

“Dee Valley Produce are continuing to offer local delivery to your door. The Three Eagles, Riverbanc and Fouzis Cafe all have plans in place to keep you safe, they need us locals now more than ever.

“Most shops, cafes, pubs, hairdressers, barbers continue to operate. Just follow the #social distance #facemask #handwash and keep safe.

“Unfortunately, major businesses in town have had to stop services. We all need to follow the guidelines to ensure all businesses in our Town can survive the long haul.”

Cllr Cheminas said: “As we move into another, hopefully temporary, lockdown and in preparation for what could be some difficult months ahead the Llangollen Coronavirus Help Group plans to resume its work and set up a new network of support in Llangollen for those who need help, are isolated, or are vulnerable during these difficult times.

“We hope to provide regular contact and support with shopping.

“If you need support or know of anyone who you think we could help please contact: Austin Cheminais (Chem) on 07813 761766 chemshouts@gmail.com and John Palmer on 07515  051696 palmerjc28@gmail.com 

"If you need help collecting prescriptions contact Sheena Grindley on 07592 018533."

Police boss sends warning to those flouting lockdown rules

 

* North Wales PCC Arfon Jones.

A police boss has warned of a clampdown on house parties and pub revellers who flout social distancing rules after four North Wales counties went into local lockdown.

The region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Arfon Jones said it was vitally important that everybody complied with the new restrictions imposed by the Welsh Government in order to curb and suppress the rising rate of Covid-19 infections in Denbighshire, Wrexham, Flintshire, and Conwy.

Mr Jones warned that “irresponsible” people caught breaking the rules and spreading the virus would be liable to be fined.

The coronavirus regulations include provisions for a fixed penalty notice to be issued for most types of breaches of the regulations, carrying a fine of £60.

This is increased to £120 for a second offence and continues to double for repeated offences, up to a maximum of £1,920. If prosecuted, however, a court can impose any fine (it is not limited).

Mr Jones also hit out at the “crazy anomaly” after the Prime Minister ruled out preventing people currently in lockdown in England from travelling to Wales while restrictions are in place.

The request from Meirionnydd Dwyfor MP Liz Saville Roberts for Boris Johnson to act followed concerns about residents in areas with high levels of Covid-19 transmission travelling to parts of Wales with much lower rates, potentially spreading the virus.

Queues of walkers were pictured on Snowdonia, while there were also reports of traffic jams at tourist destinations in the country.

Mr Jones, a former police inspector, agreed with the Welsh Government’s logic in imposing the new sanctions in the four counties in North Wales.

He said: “We feel for those businesses that are affected but I think if we want to control this virus, our hands are very much tied in what we must do.

“Like most people I was horrified to see pictures of people flouting social distancing rules whether they’re holding illegal raves, house parties or in pubs and clubs.

"I've seen clips of people coming out of pubs at 10pm in the cities and having a street party. It's completely irresponsible.

“The people in Caerphilly and Newport have shown the way. They went into local lockdown two to three weeks ago, and the numbers are coming down.

“It shows that what the Welsh Government are trying to do actually works, as long as local people abide by the rules.

“I hope that our residents in these four North Wales counties will comply with the local lockdown, and the sooner we get the numbers back down and get back to some state of normality, the better.

“At the start in March, traditional crime went down, but demand for enforcing coronavirus regulations filled that gap.

“Now we're back to normal with traditional crime, plus we've still got to enforce coronavirus regulations.

“I would like to commend most people for behaving responsibly at this difficult time but those who choose not to an expect to be held to account.

“Our focus initially will be to educate, engage and encourage people to comply with the rules but if that doesn’t work North Wales Police will enforce the rules.

“There are clearly capacity issues and we can only do what our resources permit us to do. We'll do our best with what we've got and continue working in partnership with other agencies in North Wales in terms of enforcement.

“The county councils take the lead in terms of the regulations around the night time economy and in fairness some have really stepped up to the plate.

“Both the councils and the police can issue fixed penalty ticket and the role of the police is to support council enforcement officers in relation to the night-time economy.

“The important thing from my point of view is to target irresponsible behaviour that is shown to spread the virus.”