Wales introduces inward travel ban from Friday

* Now with comments at foot of story from Clwyd South MS Ken Skates

* First Minister Mark Drakeford.

The BBC is reporting this afternoon that people from parts of England, Scotland and Northern Ireland that have high rates of coronavirus will be banned from travelling to Wales from Friday.

Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford said the move was needed "to prevent the spread of infection within Wales" and elsewhere in the UK. 

It follows a row with the prime minister over whether parts of England should have travel restrictions. 

Mr Drakeford had written twice in recent weeks to Boris Johnson asking for travel to be restricted in and out of areas with high levels of transmission in England. 

The UK government has refused to do so, instead asking people in the worst affected areas to avoid non-essential travel.

Mr Drakeford said he had had no "formal response" from the prime minister.

He said: "Evidence from public health professionals suggests coronavirus is moving from east to west across the UK and across Wales. 

"As a general rule, it is concentrating in urban areas and then spreading to more sparsely populated areas as a result of people travelling." 

The rules will come into force on Friday at 18:00 BST.

Local Member of the Senedd has welcomed action by the Welsh Government to stop people from areas with high coronavirus infection rates elsewhere in the UK from travelling to Wales. 

Clwyd South MS Ken Skates said: “I have received a number of emails and calls from constituents who are rightly frustrated that while they are continuing to make sacrifices to keep Wales safe people from parts of England with much higher infection rates have been able to travel over the border into North Wales. 

“People in Llangollen have reported their concerns to me about this since the temporary restrictions were introduced in Denbighshire. 

"The First Minister has repeatedly called on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to follow Wales’ lead by introducing urgent travel restrictions in English areas with high infection rates – which was echoed this week by the Plaid Cymru Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales. Sadly, the Prime Minister has repeatedly refused to take action despite increasing calls from neighbouring English councils for similar measures. 

“This could have been dealt with much earlier by the UK Government taking responsibility rather than delaying matters by forcing the Welsh Government to undertake complex legal discussions. I am glad the First Minister has continued to prioritise the safety of the people of Wales and I’m sure many others will welcome this decisive action.” 

Town centre "Active Travel" work to start on November 2, says county

* Castle Street parking will be suspended by the Active Travel scheme.

Work will begin to help social distancing and make it easier to travel around the town on Monday November 2, says Denbighshire County Council.

The long-awaited start date is officially given in a letter due to be sent out to residents in the affected areas soon, according to one of the area's two county councillors Graham Timms.  

The letter, which has been shown to llanblogger in advance of its release, says: "The proposed works, which will be introduced on a trial basis, for up to 18 months, include reversing the one-way restriction on Church Street from an easterly movement to a westerly movement between its junction with Chapel Street and its junction with Regent Street, with the purpose being to reduce instances of ‘rat running’ and to provide improved access to schools and the town centre for pedestrians and cyclists.

"Further measures include the introduction of a widened pedestrian area on the eastern side of Castle Street between its junction with Bridge Street and its junction with Regent Street. 

"This will be achieved with the introduction of bolt down kerbing and will provide enhanced facilities for people to social distance and travel actively. In order to facilitate this, on-street parking will be suspended on Castle Street for the duration of the trial period.

"A one-way restriction will also be introduced on Market Street between its junction with Castle Street and its junction with East Street. Vehicles will be allowed to enter Market Street from Castle Street and proceed in a westerly direction. The purpose of this restriction is to provide an additional loading bay, for use by businesses, along the north side of Market Street."

Cllr Timms explained: "This is the letter going out imminently to residents in the areas where changes will happen for the covid scheme.

"Work is being carried out during the week after the school half term holidays, beginning on the 2^nd November.

“During the late summer Llangollen had an unprecedented number of visitors after some of the covid-19 restrictions were lifted. Our narrow pavements in the town centre made social distancing impossible. Many residents told me that they would not even visit the town centre because of the overcrowded streets that made them feel unsafe.

“Whilst I understand that some businesses are concerned about the loss of some on-street parking, we have to ensure that everyone feels safe.

“The current local lockdown is creating very difficult conditions for traders and we need to give them all the support that they deserve. These new changes will enable residents and visitors to feel safer and encourage them to visit the town centre again."

He added: "In 2018 Castle Street had a pedestrian footfall of over a million, with a peak of nearly 140,000 in August. That’s even higher than Prestatyn and only slightly lower than Rhyl, which has a population nearly eight times the size of Llangollen.

“We need to make sure that our town remains vibrant and holds its place as the 'jewel in the crown' of its beautiful setting in the Dee valley. It needs to continue to be a major tourist destination as well as being a great place for those that live here too.

“Wider pavements will give more space for everyone and help to create a more relaxed atmosphere. Similar schemes elsewhere have shown that giving a higher priority to pedestrians makes people spend more time (and money) in town centres. It helps to create a more pleasant atmosphere and makes a return visit more likely."

The Active Travel scheme has been made possible because Denbighshire County Council has successfully acquired grant funding from Welsh Government as part of Local Sustainable Transport COVID Response Fund 2020-21. 

The letter to residents will be conducted by Gelli Civil Engineering and it goes on to give contact details for officials in charge of carrying it out.

Police appeal over damage to Llan Railway train, says report

Below: Some of the railway's own pictures of the damage to the train.

Wrexham.com is reporting today that police are appealing for information after the windows of a train in Llangollen were smashed.

The story says: "The offender/s also pulled up seats and tables in the carriages and left empty bottles of alcohol inside the train.

"The train was just outside of the Llangollen station.

"It is thought the incident took place sometime between Friday afternoon and yesterday.

"Anyone with any information is urged to contact police on 101 quoting reference number Y150557"

The force tweeted on its Denbigh Rural page: "Did you see anyone damaging a train in Llangollen sometime between Friday afternoon and yesterday, while the train was just outside the station?

"The offender/s smashed windows, pulled up seats and tables and left empty bottles of alcohol."

Llangollen Railway has just posted pictures of the damage on its Facebook page.

And the post says: "We are devastated at the awful damage that has been done to our beautiful carriages."

Police boss blasts Boris over refusal to ban people from Covid hotspots

 

* North Wales PCC Arfon Jones.

A police boss has blasted “irresponsible and reckless” Boris Johnson for refusing to ban people from Covid hotspots travelling into Wales and potentially bringing the virus with them.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones is furious that the UK Prime Minster had dismissed the request to ban people from travelling from areas of England with high infection rates

Mr Jones spoke out after Wales’ First Minister Mark Drakeford threatened a travel ban if Mr Johnson does not impose his own.

He said he was giving UK ministers "one final opportunity" before he makes changes in Welsh law.

The UK government announced on Monday that it will advise against non-essential travel from Merseyside.

But it stopped short of making it illegal, angering Welsh ministers and the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner.

Mr Jones said: “The Prime Minister is once again behaving irresponsibly and recklessly in allowing people from Covid hotspots to potentially import and spread the virus here in North Wales.

“He displayed his trademark arrogance in dismissing a perfectly reasonable question from Liz Saville Roberts, the MP for Meirionnydd Dwyfor, when she raised the issue during Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons.

Speaking on the Jason Mohammed show on Radio Wales, Mr Jones added: “The First Minister seems to be extremely frustrated with the Boris Johnson. I think what is being asked for is perfectly reasonable.

“People who live in Conwy cannot leave the county, but people from hotspots like Liverpool, Manchester and Nottingham can travel into Conwy and spend time there.

“The only thing the Prime Minster has said is that they’re advised not to, but there is nothing to stop them from going. So, I do share the First Minister’s frustration on this.

“Policing is between a rock and a hard place on this issue. It is right in principle to do what Mr Drakeford and Mr Gething are suggesting, but it is very difficult for police to enforce it, even though we’ve had more money to enforce Covid regulations.

“But if the Welsh Government do ban people from crossing the border into Wales from England, we will do our best, along with our partners in local authorities and health to enforce the regulations.  

“We’d need to look at how we would enforce these rules and have a conversation with our four chief constables here in Wales.

“I can’t see us lining the border with patrol cars because none of the police forces in Wales have the resources to do that.

“The demand now is as high as it was before the first Covid lockdown. We will try to encourage and educate but if that doesn’t work, we will enforce.

“I think there will be a lower tolerance level because people do know what the rules and regulations are by now. So, there will be much less leeway for people who deliberately break the rules.

“I think there is an ideological difference between the devolved government and Westminster. It’s the health vs wealth argument.

“Obviously, Westminster is concerned about the economy as we all are, but I think the devolved nations want to put public health ahead.”

Author's new spy thriller is set in Llangollen

A WREXHAM-born author has set his second book in the landscape of Llangollen.

Murder in the Welsh Hills by Vic Evans is set in the majestic mountains of North Wales where retired MI5 agent Huw Cecil is reluctantly drawn back into a world of espionage and murder.

While visiting his childhood home of Llangollen, Cecil becomes embroiled in a dangerous mission to obtain top-secret information that could lead to the total collapse of the NATO Alliance. But when his Russian contact is brutally killed, Huw knows that he is the next target.

In a deadly game of cat and mouse, with no one left to trust, Cecil enlists the help of Lottie Williams-Parry, a local woman who is struggling to overcome her own dark secrets, and together they take on dark forces and evil assassins in a bid to outwit their enemies and expose the shocking truth.

Vic Evans was born in Wrexham and grew up in the town and on his aunt’s hill farm.

Having worked in the aircraft industry and in engineering for twenty-nine years and taught in secondary schools for a further twenty years, Vic turned his hand to writing fiction.

His first novel, Miriam, was inspired by his own family history as well as by the recollections of Wrexham men who fought in the Spanish Civil War.

Murder in the Welsh Hills, his second novel, is a tense and gripping political thriller set in the rugged landscape of Llangollen.

Vic now lives on the Kent coast and he has three children and four grandchildren.

* Publisher: Headline Publishing Group 
ISBN: 9781786156907 
Number of pages: 192 

Coronavirus latest for Wales and England

People from England's high risk Covid-19 areas should not visit Wales, according to Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

Earlier this afternoon he briefed the House of Commons on new measures to halt the spread of the infection in England.

These include a new three-tiered system of COVID Alert Levels - medium, high and very high - being put place depending on local infection rates.

Merseyside will be designated "very high" from Wednesday.  

Asked by an MP about the situation with people from high risk areas of England visiting Wales, he replied: "It's very clear that people from high areas such as Merseyside should not be making those journeys."

* A second national Welsh lockdown is being considered as Covid-19 cases rise, the health minister has said.

Vaughan Gething said there was "growing concern" local restrictions may not be enough to stop a rise in cases, which he said was close to its spring peak.

Seventeen areas of Wales are currently under local lockdown restrictions, including Denbighshire.

There were more than 100 cases per 100,000 people in Wales over the past week and Mr Gething said there were more than 330 people in hospital.

He warned Covid cases in Wales could be back to peak levels seen in the spring within two weeks.

According to Public Health Wales figures the highest number of new cases recorded in a day in April was 391. The total on Sunday was 467.

* After attending a COBR(M) meeting this morning chaired by the Prime Minister to discuss the proposed introduction of the new tiered system of local restrictions in England, Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford  issued a statement in which he expressed "deep disappointment at the inadequate proposals" for travel restrictions in high infection areas in England, and said these would be met with "great dismay" in many parts of Wales where infection rates are lower. 

He also requested greater clarity on the metrics for placing areas into each tier, and agreed with other devolved leaders that the Treasury’s proposals for financial support, while welcome, did not go far enough in protecting the lowest paid workers.

* A summary of the latest measures for England: 

• Three Local COVID Alert Levels - medium, high and very high - will be in place throughout England depending on local infection rates
• The medium level will cover a significant part of England and includes the current national restrictions such as the rule of six and the 10pm curfew for pubs, bars and restaurants
• The high level will see people prevented from socialising with other households indoors. Most of those areas already living under local restrictions - such as Greater Manchester and Birmingham - will move into this category
• The very high alert level will see people banned from socialising with other households both indoors and in private gardens, while bars and pubs will be closed unless they can operate as restaurants
• Residents will also be advised against travelling in and out of these areas, while it will be up local politicians as to whether other leisure venues such as gyms and casinos should also close. However, non-essential shops, schools and universities will remain open
• Merseyside is among the areas to be put into the highest tier

Your views sought on reducing pressure on planet

Llangollen Town Council is seeking the views of local people on how to reduce pressure on our planet.

Through its Cittaslow Committee it has teamed up with Ruthin and Mold Town Councils and a number of local community groups to develop a survey to explore ideas which could help reduce household costs, increase well-being and provide learning opportunities.

Cllr Robyn Lovelock of Llangollen said: "We need to actively try to encourage people from a wide range of perspectives to complete the form, so please send the link to the form out as many groups with differing interests as possible. 

"If you are involved in a group that is able to meet in person, please feel free to print copies or let me know if you need help with printing. We need answers by October 24 please."

The survey form can be found by going to: https://forms.gle/yfRtkdVRuEFHevBe9

* Cllr Lovelock can be contacted at: cllrlovelock@llangollentowncouncil.gov.uk

See letter below:

This story has prompted a letter in response from local resident Mike Edwards, in which he says:

Whilst I could applaud some of these ideas borrowed from initiatives already operated elsewhere in the UK, I am astounded by the title of this survey “Beyond Recycling”!!! 

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSc8mI0I6RQhFxoo13zxAIhNpyoydOxPkZW-cg15bKZNxRiJRw/viewform 

Denbighshire County Council closed our Recycling Centre at Wenffryd thirteen, yes 13 years ago and whilst they initially offered Llangollen a sticking plaster solution of providing a refuse lorry at the Pavilion once a week on a Saturday for two hours that service was withdrawn when National Lockdown occurred in March. To add insult to injury for the Dee Valley they also stood by whilst Wrexham BC barred Denbighshire residents from using the facility at Plas Madoc only six miles away. They have subsequently floundered to negotiate a simple deal with Wrexham to make this facility available to us on a Service Level Agreement. 

During those thirteen years Denbighshire have also closed the facility in Corwen, Llangollen’s sister Dee Valley town, but also in this period constructed and provided a new Recycling Facility in Rhyl and plan another in Denbigh. Of course Ruthin already has such a facility because Denbighshire CC has told residents that they can travel to Ruthin up the dangerous Horseshoe Pass and through the Nant-y-Garth provided they make an appointment and use what they deem an approved vehicle and ban trailers, vans etc. 

You have to ask what have Denbighshire Council got against Llangollen? Numerous issues are left unattended to -  Listed Buildings are not properly protected, we are left with eyesore properties dotted around the town(eg the old Job Centre, Rehoboth Chapel and the derelict building overlooking the Riverside Gardens) despite Llangollen being set set in the UNESCO World Heritage Site and Dee Valley AONB. The “Gateway” approaches to town are in a dreadful state projecting an awful appearance to visitors hardly encouraging them to stop, dwell and shop in our lovely town. Llangollen as we all know has much appealing to us as residents and the visitors who do come, but again Denbighshire Council failed to put in and monitor adequate Social Distancing measures as applied in other neighbouring towns to properly protect Llangollen residents and contributing to the Local Lockdown we now find ourselves in. 

So Denbighshire CC will be delighted that the Town Council through the Cittaslow Initiative are proposing measures which see the Community take matters into their own hands and take on responsibilities which they as the Principal Local Authority for the area should be leading on. They are happy enough to bank receipts from our town centre car parks, Market Street CP being the highest revenue from a Denbighshire car park. But then they give nothing back to Llangollen and the Dee Valley and give priority to expenditure in the North of the County along with Denbigh and Ruthin where their administrative headquarters are centred. They shortly plan to remove parking on Castle Street under the guise of Pandemic measures, which of course which will drive more revenue to their car parks to spend elsewhere in the County. 

Perhaps they should rename our town Llangotten because that’s what it is as far Denbighshire Council are concerned. A former Town Councillor once said to me “Llangollen is the pimple on the backside of Denbighshire”, many a true word spoken in jest, but it's a reality to Llangollen residents. 

Yours Sincerely, 

Michael Edwards