County says it will look at Castle Street potholes

* Above and below, some of the worst potholes in Castle Street.

Denbighshire County Council has commented on the numerous potholes which have developed along the length of Castle Street.

The holes - at least one of which on the bridge is very deep - have become worse as the winter has progressed.

llanblogger sent pictures of a collection of them to the county council asking when they are likely to be dealt with.

A council spokesperson replied: "We will send an officer to look at the road to see if any safety defects require immediate action.

“Regarding a longer-term solution we have set aside money in our capital budget for resurfacing works on Castle Street.

“However, we have been holding off from delivering this work because as a council we are currently developing proposals for Castle Street as part of the Llangollen 2020 project, which we are working on in conjunction with Llangollen Town Council and the local county councillors. 

"Should this scheme get the necessary approvals, it would enable us to deliver a much wider improvement scheme in that area which will incorporate the resurfacing work. If those approvals are not forthcoming, we will proceed with the resurfacing work alone.”

* READER'S LETTER

Former Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies has submitted the following letter on the subject ...

"I am disgusted with the lack of maintenance of Castle St by the county. 

"It would appear that a vanity project (2020) is holding up regular maintenance there! 

"When I left DCC we left in place a budget to refurb Castle St in 2017, preliminary plans included revised and improved on-street parking arrangements. 

"The money was there ready to go. Then the vanity project came along and disrupted the plans and we are now seeing the results of the inaction of our elected representatives! 

"That money allocated will have been spent elsewhere! Nearly four years have gone by and all we seen is expensive consultations and plans that don't materialise. In fact the only thing that we have seen is potholes that don't get repaired, removal of parking that damages businesses and silly ugly barriers that people fall over and break limbs! Well done Cllrs!" 

Electric Jeep is a sparky contender

Jeep Renegade 4xe road test by Steve Rogers

It feels like the world and his wife is joining the electric party with thousands giving themselves a Christmas present.

According to the motoring bible, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, the best selling car in December was the electric Tesla Model 3 with its new rival the Volkswagen ID.3 fourth.

In a frantic year when Covid virus restrictions sent petrol and diesel sales into free fall the only winners were pure electric, up by more than 70,000 on 2019, and plug-in hybrids which jumped from 35,000 to nearly 67,000.

So despite everything 2020 was not a bad year for Jeep to launch a plug in hybrid version of the Renegade even if the company is a bit late to the electric party. Perhaps they were hanging on to get it right and to be fair they haven't done a bad job producing a sophisticated piece of kit.

May be we should cut through some of the jargon because I have been on the electric trail of late with a couple of self-charging hybrid Toyotas. These have a petrol engine and use braking resistance and deceleration to recharge the battery which powers an electric motor but cannot be charged from the mains.

A PHEV, aka the Renegade 4xe, is a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle with a petrol engine and battery pack that can also be charged from the mains to power an electric motor. The advantage is that the Renegade can run for up to 26 miles on electric power only with zero emissions.

A self charging hybrid is at its best around town but will only manage about a mile on electric before the battery pack needs recharging.

Renegade made a big statement when it arrived in 2015 because it was different and funky. At the time I said it was a modern day version of its granddaddy, the Willys Jeep, the most recognisable vehicle of World War Two. Vertical grille, flat bonnet with the square jawed look that typified the Yank soldiers who drove the wartime jeep.

Six years on it might not turn as many heads but Renegade is still an SUV like no other and the plug-in hybrid model should be giving a much needed sales boost. Jeep has paired an 11.4kWh battery with two electric motors to give up to 26 miles travel without using the petrol engine at up to 81mph limit. This is why you can achieve between 123 and 134mpg. Once the battery power is spent the engine kicks in which is good for around 50mpg - that is the best I could manage.

As with most hybrids Renegade is quick off the mark thanks to the extra kick from the electric motor, and the turbocharged 1.3 litre performs well if a tad noisy when pushed.

Most of the driving is a mixture of petrol and electric with the option to switch to three driving modes including E-save which continues to harness battery power for the motors. Jeep engineers have pretty much thought of everything but it is worth studying the detail to get the best out of the car.

This is a good family car whether it's hybrid or not with the high roofline providing plenty of headroom while there is ample backseat legroom. Boot space is not the biggest in its class but it has two levels which I always find useful.

It is also well off for the luxuries we like and very strong on safety features.

Apart from a badly fitting fuel filler flap, which looked too small for the space, build quality is good with a nice feel to the dashboard trim. The layout for the instrument binnacle is logical which is more than can be said for the centre console which is a mish-mash of buttons and switches, some of which are too much of a stretch when driving.

One area where Renegade excels over the opposition is off road. This car is a master of mud, snow, sand - you name it. And there lies a potential drawback.

Renegade PHEV is expensive against some key rivals and you have to ask if hybrid drivers really need all this off road technology?

As part of the Chrysler dynasty the company has been on life support more than once and is entering a new chapter merging with the ever expanding Peugeot-Citroen empire under the name of Stellantis. Jeep celebrates its 80th anniversary this year and is no doubt hoping to survive a lot longer.

At least Renegade still puts a smile on your face. 

Need to know

Renegade 4xe Limited

£34,500 (starts £32,600)

6 speed automatic

1.3litre petrol; 130bhp+60bhp electric motor

0-62mph 7.5secs; 113mph

123-134mpg

49g/km. 1st tax £10

Insurance group 13

Boot: 330 litres

Every household to receive vaccination information

Letters about the Welsh Government’s COVID-19 vaccination plans will shortly begin to arrive at the front door of every household in Wales.

The Health Board letters will be sent to every household in Wales over the next couple of weeks and will be issued by Local Authorities, on behalf of the Welsh Government.

It will provide information on the roll-out of the coronavirus vaccines currently available in Wales, how the vaccines are being made available and in what way people will be invited to an appointment. People are being urged to wait their turn and not to contact NHS or health services to request a COVID-19 vaccine

When they are invited for their vaccination, which could be at a hospital, a vaccination centre or their GP surgery, people will be advised where their vaccination will take place.

Each letter will be tailored to provide relevant information to communities on the services specific to the area.

There are two phases of the vaccine roll-out and within the first phase, vaccines will be given according to age and risk of serious illness if someone catches coronavirus. The groups in this first phase - accounting for 1.5million people - represent around 99% of preventable deaths from coronavirus.

In the first five weeks since the first vaccines were administered in Wales, 91,239 people have now received their first dose. A second dose of the same brand is recommended within 12 weeks.

It is hoped that every eligible adult in Wales will be offered a vaccination by the autumn, as set out in the Welsh Government’s Vaccination Strategy released earlier this week [Monday 11].

As well as the letters, Welsh Government is also reinforcing its warnings about scams which ask people for their bank details or payment to receive a vaccine; no one will be asked to pay for a vaccine on the NHS. To help notice a scam, people should look out for misspellings and grammatical errors, as well as non-NHS web addresses asking for details.

They’re also warning against ‘vaccine calculators’ which claims to give a predicted date for when someone can expect to be vaccinated. In reality, these calculators harness personal details to make an estimate and are not endorsed by official organisations.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething said: “An enormous amount of work has gone into delivering what is the largest vaccination programme Wales has ever seen. Our plans are ambitious but together with the NHS, we are working incredibly hard to make sure people get their jabs as quickly and safely as possible.

“Vaccinations are life-saving and, in this pandemic, it could be life changing for all of us. However, as we speed up the roll out of vaccines across Wales, it’s more important than ever that we follow the rules and keep ourselves safe. That means staying at home and working from home; keeping our distance from others; washing our hands often, and if we do have to go out, wearing a face mask when we’re in public places.”

Llangollen Health Centre says on its new Facebook page: "We have more cases of Covid in the community than ever before right now.  The vaccine has given us all hope and there is light at the end of the tunnel but this is the most dangerous time.  Please remain vigilant, abide by the rules and stay safe.

"On a brighter note, the supply of vaccines is improving and we will be holding more clinics very soon.  Patients aged 80 and over should expect to receive a phone call or letter over the next 2 - 3 weeks."

Advice for parents on face-to-face learning during lockdown

Parents in Denbighshire are being reminded of guidance around education availability by the county council.

Face-to-face learning has been suspended, apart for the children of critical workers and vulnerable learners, by the Welsh Government until at least January 29, but unless infection rates reduce significantly this could be put back to February half term.

With increased transmission rates due to the new variant of coronavirus, Welsh Government guidance states children of key workers should only attend school if there is absolutely no safe alternative, and only on days when their parent or parents are working.

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Education, Children's Services and Public Engagement, said: “We understand this is a very difficult time for pupils and parents with face-to-face learning suspended.

“During this period schools are open to children of key workers and to keep schools safe it is vital we ensure Welsh Government guidance on who can attend is followed.

“Every child who can be safely cared for at home should be, but if parents/carers work is critical to the Covid-19 response or is in a key sector such as health and social care and the child/children cannot be kept safely at home, then priority is given for their continued education provision.

“To ensure our communities stay safe and transmission is reduced, only those pupils who need to be in school should be attending. This is to ensure schools remain open for those who need the places available.”

Welsh Government guidance states:

One critical worker does not necessarily mean children are entitled to a place at school, and that if children can be safely cared for at home they should be.

Difficulties with balancing home-learning and working from home is not a reason to access the provision unless the person working from home is a critical worker and is unable to safely care for the child.

If capacity is reached, based on the school's risk assessment, certain children may be prioritised for provision based on parental occupation.

Chair gives update on 2020 scheme's progress

* The 2020 scheme proposes major changes in the town centre.

The chair of the group aiming to make major changes to traffic and parking in Llangollen claims the plan they are working on will give a £3 million boost to the town over 10 years - equivalent to 128 extra jobs.

In an update on the 2020 scheme for llanblogger, County Councillor Graham Timms also says his team expect to have "very good news" by the end of March this year, leading to construction work starting this autumn of 2021 with completion in early 2022.

He says: "The Llangollen 2020 team is becoming confident that major work will begin later this year, after the summer season. 

"Whilst many projects have been delayed during the ongoing pandemic, the Llangollen 2020 group have been able to continue their work with Denbighshire County Council, Welsh Government and its other key stakeholders. 

"The final detailed plans for the scheme are being drawn up by urban architects and traffic engineers to make the town's ambitions become reality. 

"A financial package which will see more than £2 million invested in the town is in its final crucial stages of being put together with a number of major sources. 

"The team expect to have very good news by the end of March this year, leading to construction work taking place starting in the autumn of 2021 with completion in early 2022. 

"A staged approach to the development over the visitor low season will ensure that our businesses can remain open and disruption to the town is minimised by the construction work. 

"The project vision remains as it has from the start: to develop a safer and more attractive town centre that better meets the needs of residents, businesses and visitors. 

"The covid-19 pandemic and the need to have a town centre that provides increasing provision for active travel, alongside the climate change agenda have focused everyone's minds sharply on many of these issues."

Cllr Timms adds: "As it stands, the key changes the project will bring about are set out below: 

●       Widen footways / minimise carriageway width to maximise pedestrian space and slow traffic down

●       Install crossing points on Castle Street and across side roads to improve crossing safety, especially for those with disabilities and/or small children

●       Install delivery bays on Castle Street and Market Street

●       Slow vehicle speeds throughout town centre to 20mph(scheduled for 2023)

●       Implement raised bed crossings at major junctions on Castle Street

●       Implement a town centre residents’ parking scheme and 30 minutes free parking 

●       Improve signage to Pavilion and Mill Street car parks to reduce pressure on Market/East Street car parks (and traffic congestion when they’re full)

●       Provide dedicated parking for business owners and staff at Ysgol Dinas Bran for weekends/holidays

●       Declutter signage to improve town appearance 

●       Upgrade the traffic lights at A5/Castle Street junction and the Victoria Square junction to respond to real-time traffic volumes.

●       Provide better cycle and walking routes within the town

●       Provide cycle parking within town centre and electric car charging points in car parks. 

Benefits from these changes are anticipated to include: 

●       £3 million boost for the town over 10 years, equivalent to 128 additional jobs

●       Improved town centre safety

●       Improved town centre air pollution (currently fourth worst spot in North Wales)

●       Improved active travel options.

"One of the Llangollen 2020 proposals that may be a casualty at the design stage is the mini roundabout which was proposed for the Abbey Road/Castle Street junction. There is room for the mini roundabout but it would introduce a number of other significant problems. 

"Whilst it has been shown that it would increase traffic flow through the junction, the Welsh Government advise that it would make it more difficult for pedestrians to cross all roads leading to this junction. The topography of the area also makes it very difficult to introduce a mini roundabout without making substantial changes.

"There will be an opportunity to hear an update on the Llangollen 2020 project on a Cittaslow Community Conversation on 27^th January 2021. More information from townclerk@llangollentowncouncil.gov.uk."

Pandemic updates from the Welsh Government

 

Latest coronavirus updates from the Welsh Government (dated yesterday) are:

• The £180m Economic Resilience Fund sector-specific fund to support tourism, hospitality and leisure businesses affected by coronavirus restrictions will open for applications at 12pm on Wednesday (13 January).
• The funding, originally announced in December, is part of a wider £450m package of support which the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors as well as their supply chain can access and will provide vital support to thousands of firms impacted by alert level three and four restrictions.
• https://gov.wales/180-million-fund-hospitality-leisure-and-tourism-businesses-opens-week
• The fund will be open for two weeks or until fully committed.
• Eligibility checker: https://fundchecker.businesswales.gov.wales/sectorspecificgrant/
• The United Arab Emirates are being removed from the list of exempt countries and territories, so travellers from those countries will need to isolate on arrival in Wales https://gov.wales/written-statement-amendments-health-protection-coronavirus-international-travel-wales-regulations-0
• Health Minister Vaughan Gething’s oral statement to the Senedd about the Vaccine Strategy is available at https://record.assembly.wales/Plenary/11146#A63750
• Updated: Alert level four frequently asked questions: https://gov.wales/alert-level-4-frequently-asked-questions

 

Coronavirus in numbers

• The latest figures published by Public Health Wales today show there have been 1,332 newly reported cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 172,879 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.
• Very sadly, there were 16 deaths reported by Public Health Wales today. The total number of deaths reported by Public Health Wales is 3,997.
• These figures are updated daily at: https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary

• The number of people who have received a Covid vaccine in Wales is being published every weekday by Public Health Wales.
• 91,239 people have received their first dose of the vaccine
• 97 people have received two doses of the vaccine
• https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary

 

• The Office for National Statistics has today published statistics on provisional weekly deaths, including deaths involving Covid-19, for the week ending 1 January 2021.
• The cumulative number of deaths involving Covid-19 in Welsh residents up to 1 January was 5,169.
• Of the deaths registered in the week ending 1 January, there were provisionally 310 deaths involving Covid-19; this was 32 more than the previous week – numbers are now at a similar level to early May.
• For the period 29 February 2020 to 1 January 2021, there were a total of 4,109 excess deaths (15%) above the five-year average. The excess death rate for Wales for the period 29 February 2020 to 1 January 2021 overall was lower than in England.
• The numbers reported by ONS are different from those from Public Health Wales because of different reporting methods and timing. The ONS figures are higher because they include some extra cases.
• https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest

 

What to do if you have symptoms of coronavirus

• The symptoms of coronavirus are a high temperature, a new, continuous cough and a loss or change in smell or taste.
• If you have symptoms of coronavirus, however mild, you must self-isolate at home for 10 days from when your symptoms started.
• Guidance about self-isolating: https://gov.wales/self-isolation-stay-home-guidance-households-possible-coronavirus
• Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
• You should arrange to have a test to see if you have coronavirus once you are self-isolating. You can book a test at https://gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-covid-19-test
• You should continue to isolate while waiting for a test result.
• Got a question about what to do if you’ve got coronavirus? Visit https://gov.wales/self-isolation-stay-home-guidance-households-possible-coronavirus
   

Where to find the latest information

• Information about the new national measures in place in Wales is available at: https://gov.wales/alert-level-4

• Public Health Wales provides a daily update about the number of cases of coronavirus in Wales. It is available at: https://covid19-phwstatement.nhs.wales/
• Information about coronavirus is available on the Welsh Government’s website at https://gov.wales/coronavirus and https://llyw.cymru/coronafeirws
• Questions about Covid-19 vaccines? Visit: https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/immunisation-and-vaccines/covid-19-vaccination-information/
• Information about support for businesses is available at the Business Wales website https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/
• The Welsh Government holds a regular media briefing about coronavirus. These are on-the-record, on-camera and supported by a BSL interpreter. These are held at 12.15pm and live-streamed on our @WelshGovernment Twitter channel.

Those breaching Covid rules "increasingly likely" to face fines, say police

North Wales Police have this afternoon issued a new statement about the enforcement of Covid-19 rules.

It says: "Those breaching Covid Level 4 restrictions are increasingly likely to face fines as police continue to see many flouting the law by ignoring the legislation.

"The warning comes following a busy weekend where officers have reported a substantial amount of people for breaching restrictions on non-essential travel.

"Patrols continued in popular hot spot areas across the region and people who were out ‘visiting’ and who had travelled by vehicle to places such as Snowdonia, Moel Fammau, Llangollen, Brenig, Wepre Park, Llandudno and Abergwyngregyn were stopped and reported for breaching Covid regulations.

"Although North Wales Police will continue to apply the 4 E’s approach of engaging, explaining and encouraging – only then enforcing, the force will instruct officers to issue fines more quickly to anyone committing obvious, wilful and serious breaches.

"Many of those were residents of north Wales – however officers also stopped groups from the Cheshire area who intended on climbing up Tryfan in the dark and with inappropriate clothing. A woman from Staffordshire was also stopped in Prestatyn where she was ‘visiting the beach.’

"Temporary Assistant Chief Constable Nigel Harrison said: 'We all know the law by now and know exactly what is the right thing to do. It is on every single news channel, radio bulletins and in the newspapers. There’s no escaping the fact that people have been told to stay home.

'It is not acceptable to pick and choose the law you follow and the laws you don’t. This is not a dress rehearsal and people will live and die on the actions we all choose.

'The restrictions to prevent the spread of Coronavirus are there to protect us all. Every single one of us - and it is vital that everyone takes personal responsibility by staying home unless they have a valid reason not to be there.

'Now is not the time to head up into the mountains or to enjoy scenic drives in the countryside. Exercise should start and finish from home – unless you have specific mobility issues where you can drive a short distance. Nobody should be travelling unless absolutely essential.

'As Police Officers our first duty is to preserve life. The critical situation our NHS colleagues are facing and the way the new virus variant moves through communities, means we can no longer spend our time explaining or encouraging people to follow rules where they are wilfully and dangerously breaching.

'If people continue to break the rules, putting themselves, their families and their communities at greater risk, our officers are ready to act robustly.

'It is up to us all to do the right thing. People should not think of ways of circumventing the law and the police should not be needed to reinforce common sense. 

'Policing continues regardless of the pandemic with officers responding to hundreds of emergency calls, searching for missing people , responding to calls in relation to violence in the home, dealing with drink and drug drivers and responding to road traffic collisions. Policing will continue to do our bit, but everyone else needs to do theirs. Unless it is for a valid reason please stay home.'”

* The statement can be viewed here: Weekend Covid enforcement | North Wales Police