Audi A3 plug takes tech to a new level

            

Audi A3 Sportback road test by Steve Rogers

Meet the new Audi A3 plug-in hybrid... every company car drivers dream come true.

There are those who say the only people to benefit from hybrid and electric cars are those driving company cars because of the generous tax breaks.

I drove a company car for more than 30 years and in the early years it was definitely a huge perk until the Westminster politicians spoilt the party piling on the tax burden so much so that I almost threw in the towel. But I didn't.

Now we have turned full circle with electric and plug-in hybrids cheap as chips on the tax scale. Take this A3, a classy, desirable motor and a real steal with a tax bill just 7 per cent or 11 per cent for the S-Line.

This family sized Audi is a desirable car for anyone, if you can afford the premium price. 

The German brand came to life in the early nineties quickly expanding its range building a reputation for quality and luxury and eventually managing to outsell both BMW and Mercedes-Benz. 

Then the dieselgate scandal spoilt the party although it has not stopped them continuing to turn out top notch cars.

This latest A3 is all about technology, something they have been good at for the last 20 years and, of course, the new age of electric power.

So let's looks at that first. The A3 has a 1.4 litre turbocharged petrol engine backed up by an electric motor which can give up to 40 miles of running time and can be charged either from a domestic plug, or better still from a wall mounted charging box.

I have a Podpoint charger which did the job in under four hours and then managed 33 miles on electric power. As I have said before you get the best result by turning into Mr sensible with a light foot on the accelerator and brake pedal.

With a combined output of 200bhp there is no shortage of performance, quick off the line, strong in the mid range, strong everywhere to be honest, while the plug-in can reach the high fifties even when the electric power is used up because regenerative braking puts a little bit of power back into the batteries while on the move.

My test car was the mildly sporty S-Line which I would avoid purely because the ride is overly hard for my tastes and generates a lot of road noise through the 18in low profile boots. It even irritated Mrs Rogers who complained about having to crank up the radio volume to drown out the noise.

But I liked the direct high geared steering and the way it held a tight line through  sweeping bends yet you would enjoy much of the same from a standard A3 but without the suspension thuds although it is not bad enough to put people off.

I have been banging on about the build quality of Audis for decades and still think none of the premium rivals can quite match its high standard. The company has always pushed the boundaries on technology and here the digital concept and new interactive features have taken it to another level.

The driver's virtual cockpit has been around a while and works well but the step forward comes with the 10 inch central touch display which has 10 times more computing power than the previous model so there are any number of interactive functions, if you can be bothered!

Yes, it is the dreaded touchscreen rather than Audi's efficient rotary controller but this is the last time I am going to moan about touchscreens. I think they can be a distraction for a driver but are here to stay so we have to live with them.

This system is lightening quick with wonderful high resolution images for the Google Earth based navigation system. Brownie points are due for a neat line of soft tough switches for the heating controls although some background lighting would finish it off nicely for night driving.

Voice control worked pretty well for navigation destinations and changing the climate control, and it would tune to every station bar the one I wanted, BBC Radio 2. Strange.

So that is the good news on A3. The bad news is Mrs Rogers wants one, but we don't do the lottery...

Fast Facts

A3 Sportback 40 TFSIe S-Line 6-sp S tronic

£34,245

1.4 turbo petrol+electric motor 200bhp

Electric range 40 miles

0-62mph 7.6secs; 141mph

282.5mpg

29g/km. 1st VED £10 then zero

Insurance group 27

      Boot 280 litres (380lts non hybrid)

Maybe footbridge idea isn't such a joke after all

* The footbridge could perhaps span the Dee from Mile End Mill (above) to Abbey

 Road (below) it's been suggested. 

Llanblogger’s April Fool’s Day gag about a new footbridge over the Dee has taken on an air of seriousness. 

Our story, concocted with the help of David Davies and published last Thursday, joked that a new action group was promoting the construction of a glass-bottomed bridge spanning the river between the Aldi car park and an area near the railway on the opposite bank. 

It proved to be one of our most popular April Fool’s gags of recent years and received hundreds of hits.

And a number of people who commented when it was shared on social media said that although they realised it was only a joke, they still reckoned it was a great idea and just what was needed to help easier movement around the town.

Amongst those who supported the suggestion was Stuart Davies, now a town councillor but formerly one of Llangollen’s two county councillors. 

He contacted us to say: “Llanblogger’s April Fool’s Day glass bridge was a good spoof with more than a few people being attracted to the idea. 

“Back in the days of the Health Centre construction a footbridge idea was put forward by myself and Ken Skates with the idea being that patients from the east side of the town could walk across the footbridge to it. 

“The Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board considered it but I believe the cost was too much and the idea was shelved.” 

Cllr Davies, who recently won town council support for his suggestion of an environmental weight restriction of the town bridge added: “The idea of a new Dee crossing near Llangollen is still appealing. 

“Concerns about the weight of vehicles crossing the existing 13^th century bridge have come to the fore recently and perhaps now is a good time to revisit the idea of a new Dee crossing. 

“With works going on to strengthen the A5 to the east of Llangollen and talk of a new traffic scheme for the town,  perhaps some thought could be given to making a new crossing in the near future. 

“Abbey Road to near Mile End Mill would perhaps make a good crossing point, this was where the original idea was.” 

He went on to explain: “There was a plan for a Llangollen Bypass and second Dee crossing up until about 1998. It was supposed to go from by the Golf Course, along Wern Road and it would have come out near where the new print factory is, with the new bridge in that area. 

“Then the Welsh Government (WG) changed its mind and downgraded the A5. 

“The preferred route from South Wales and regions south became the A483 Wrexham Bypass then to Chester and the southern bypass and the A55 to Holyhead and on. 

“The WG put big black signs up, which are still there, pointing the way along the A483 to Holyhead and Bangor instead of turning left at Halton Roundabout and continuing to Llangollen and beyond on the A5.” 

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1975/mar/04/llangollen-bypass 

https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/written-answers/1975/may/02/llangollen-bypass

County council chief executive leaves her job today

Denbighshire County Council's chief executive Judith Greenhalgh (pictured) will be leaving the council today (Tuesday) after nearly three years in post, it has just been announced.

A statement from the county council says she is leaving to "take a career break for personal reasons".  

The statement adds: "The council would like to thank Judith for her contribution during her time with Denbighshire County Council and wish her all the very best for the future. "      

Cllr Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire County Council, said: "We will be taking steps to recruit a new CEO over the coming months.  

"Our two Corporate Directors will assume leadership responsibilities, supported by the Senior Leadership Team, until such time as the new CEO is in post.  

"Meanwhile, all Denbighshire officers and elected members continue to work together to fulfil our commitment to deliver the best possible service to residents." 

Community centre is a big lottery winner

 

* Work going on at Pentredwr Community Centre. 

Thanks to funding from the National Lottery Community Fund major building work at Pentredwr Community Centre has recently been completed. 

Pentredwr and District Community Association is a charity and the centre is dedicated to providing a place for the community to meet and hold events. 

Access to the building has been greatly improved, including disabled access, structures made safe and drainage work completed. 

This will enhance the current facility and hopefully attract increased usage. 

A small, dedicated group of people pushed the project forward even during the pandemic.

Pentredwr Community Association and Gwlangollen CIC have also jointly received funding from the National Lottery Community Fund for a new Rural Futures project. 

This will create Hwb Pentredwr as a rural skills centre.  

Sheep production is central to farming in the valley therefore promoting wool and exploring the wider uses of locally produced fleece is a key element of the work Hwb Pentredwr will be doing.

The aim of the project is to secure a more prosperous future for local people and strengthen the community by reducing the impact of rural and digital isolation. 

The project will work towards securing community prosperity by developing rural skills and enterprise, addressing rural isolation, supporting digital inclusion and access to services thereby strengthening the community. 

It is hoped this will benefit the Parish of Llantysilio residents and community centre users alike as it will hopefully mean that they will have access to a new wifi system, a community transport system from Corwen through Pentredwr to Llangollen, and a wide range of regular heritage craft skills for everyone to enjoy.

Next month Hwb Pentredwr will be advertising a two-year, part time project co-ordinator post, and anyone interested in applying for the post is advised to check Pentredwr and District Community Association Facebook page or website page for details.

These will also contain a full calendar of events, which will include workshops and events and also details of how to book the centre for group or private hire when current restrictions allow this.

Welsh Minister reacts to railway's financial plight

A Welsh Government Minister has said his officials are “happy to talk” to the group fighting to rescue Llangollen Railway from its financial crisis subject to a number of conditions.

As llanblogger has been reporting, on March 1 the board of the railway’s public limited company (PLC) asked its bank to call in receivers after it became insolvent to the tune of about £350,000 and could not legally continue trading.

A firm of liquidators was called in which began the process of selling off the assets of the world-famous heritage attraction.

The Trust board, which remains completely solvent, has declared its intentions of buying as many of the railway's assets as possible and has already raised over £50,000 from a public appeal. https://llangollenrailway.enthuse.com/profile

The board also says in the statement it has meetings arranged with potential funding bodies. 

Last month North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood wrote to Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism making him aware of the railway’s plight. 

In his reply, of which llanblogger has seen a copy, the Minister says: “This is indeed a sad development as this historic line is an important part of the heritage of the area and an important element of regional tourism – it would also be a great loss to staff, volunteers and suppliers. 

“My officials in Visit Wales would be happy to talk to the Trust when the way forward has been established with the receiver, and to participate in any investment discussion as matters progress subject to available funding streams.” 

In response the letter, Mr Isherwood has told llanblogger: “I welcome the recognition in Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas’s response to me that Llangollen Railway is an important part of the heritage of the area and an important element of regional tourism, and that the railway’s demise would also be a great loss to staff, volunteers and suppliers. 

“His statement that his ‘officials in Visit Wales would be happy to talk to the Trust when the way forward has been established with the receiver, and to participate in any investment discussion as matters progress subject to available funding streams’ also looks potentially helpful. 

“This is especially the case given the recent statement by the Llangollen Railway Trust Board that they are considering their options for obtaining the intangible assets of Llangollen Railway PLC, to ease the transition from PLC to Trust, and preparing Business Plans and cashflow forecasts for a Trust-run railway, to be used in support of meetings with potential funding bodies. 

“Assuming positive outcomes from these actions, however, Llangollen Railway should be a priority for the Deputy Minister’s Department. 

“Further, whatever the outcome of the Welsh General Election on 6^th May, Lord Elis-Thomas is not standing for re-election, and it is vital both that the Members of the Senedd representing Llangollen after the election, re-elected or newly elected, pick up the baton and that the next Welsh Government listens and delivers.”

Report rogue traders and doorstep crimes to Crimestoppers

Residents and businesses across Wales who think that rogue traders are targeting their community, or they know someone who has become a victim of a doorstep crime, can now report it anonymously to Crimestoppers. 

Trading Standards Wales and the charity Crimestoppers have joined forces to provide a service that enables members of the public to anonymously provide valuable information to help keep communities safe and healthy. 

It is the latest issue that the two organisations are working on to encourage members of the public to provide information on concerns they might have, 100% anonymously. 

Helen Picton, Chair of Trading Standards Wales, said: “We’re delighted to be working with Crimestoppers and giving members of the public a way to report these crimes anonymously. 

“Doorstep crime can affect anyone but often it is the elderly and vulnerable people that are targeted by rogue traders offering home improvement services. 

“Such callers may offer services including window/gutter cleaning, path and driveway repairs, roofing or building work, gardening and tree lopping or even persuade residents that they must come inside their homes to 'check something'. 

“They can be very persuasive and convincing in their approach and in what they say – it is easy to be taken. These people are unqualified scammers who charge extortionate amounts of money for little or no work.” 

Residents and businesses should be aware of the following signs if a rogue trader is operating in their community: 

1. Unfinished or poor-quality services
2. Increased prices and urgent work required
3. Pressure to agree there and then
4. Upfront cash payments
5. No paperwork and/or cancellation rights given
6. No traders details provided
7. Flyers stating Statutory Cooling off period
8. Ignoring signs or stickers asking the trader to leave and not return
9. Selling goods from a van following an unsolicited doorstep call
10. Sold from unusual places e.g. car boot sales 

“If you think a rogue trader is operating in your community or someone you know has become a doorstep crime victim then report it to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or visit http://crimestoppers-uk.org and tell them what you know. Your information can help keep communities across Wales safe,” added Helen Picton. 

If it is an emergency or a rogue trader is at the property contact 999, or if you need advice to help with a dispute, concern or suspicion call Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133.

St Collen's hosts its first live service in many weeks

* Vicar Father Lee Taylor begins the worship by fixing in place the Easter candle.

* The four-strong choir fill the church with marvellous sound.

St Collen's Church welcomed back members of its congregation for the first time in many weeks this morning when it held a socially-distanced Easter service.

With half the aisles taped off people were spread at intervals right across the church for the worship led by the vicar, Father Lee Taylor.

He began proceedings by entering with the large Easter candle and fixing in place before the alter.

With the congregation, all wearing masks and not being allowed to sing due to safety rules, the service was heavily reliant on the excellent four-member choir for its musical elements.

This included Leigh Mason, Helen Belton and Shea Ferron, all accomplished vocalists and performers with of Llangollen Operatic, along with John Williams, but also augmented by the voice of the vicar himself.

They filled the church with marvellous sounds, particularly during their flawless rendition of traditional Eastertide anthem the Hallelujah Chorus from Handle's Messiah.