Calls for steps to control town's traffic gridlock

* Traffic gridlock along Regent Street this morning.

A petition started by a Wrexham councillor calling on the Welsh Government to back urgent repairs to the storm-damaged B5605 road bridge in Newbridge has so far attracted over 2,500 signatures.

The online petition, at you.38degrees.org.uk, is the idea of the independent member for Cefn, Sonia Benbow Jones, and is aimed at Welsh Minister for Climate Change, Julie James.

It was started eight months ago and now has 2,519 signatures of people who want to see the bridge back into use for the benefit of people living in the area and the avoidance of a 15-mile detour through Llangollen whenever the A483/A5 viaduct is closed as it has been today due to high winds.      

* The petition calling for repairs to the B5605 bridge.

The petition calls on the Minister to provide Wrexham Council with funding to repair the bridge following Storm Christoph over a year ago.

Describing the importance of repairs, the petition says: "The B5605 provides critical road links between communities Newbridge, Cefn Mawr, Rhosymedre and Ruabon and also Chirk to the south. 

"This is causing major disruption to local residents and businesses and also provides critical diversionary route from the A483. In the event of closures on or planned works on the A483 it means a fifteen mile division via Llangollen which is unacceptable."

The petition can be viewed at: https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/repairs-to-bridge-b5605-newbridge?bucket&fbclid=IwAR1rFG2ze0g7T6JTZOSbsaOfwB26iFnkPNh3gJ0wCwZ1E5TJVdE6aiXoCdg

* Meanwhile, town councillor Stuart Davies has this morning (Monday) emailed local county councillors and Denbighshire chief officers about the congestion caused by the traffic diversions in Llangollen.

He says: "Llangollen is gridlocked. Traffic backed up several miles to the Sun Trevor. People are not happy. Yet Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Government, despite me warning them months ago, are still allowing this to happen. 

Attaching a screenshot of local people's complaints about the situation, he asks: "What are you intending to do to sort this problem, please?"

MP raises over £2,000 on cancer charity challenge

* Simon Baynes MP outside Chirk Castle during one of his runs.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes recently completed the 50-mile running challenge in aid of Maggie’s Centres and managed to raise over £2,000 for the cause in memory of family members. 

Maggie’s Centres are based in various locations and offer support free to anyone with cancer and their families who walk through the doors. 

The centres were founded by Maggie Keswick Jencks who used her own experience of having cancer to create a new type of cancer care. 

The first centre opened in Edinburgh in 1996 and, since then, a network of centres across the UK and some abroad have now been established to offer care to those facing cancer. 

Mr Baynes had to run 50 miles for the challenge, with the money raised assisting those who use the centres. 

In total, he raised over £2,000, which was inclusive of match-funding. 

His efforts and those of others who took up the challenge resulted in a total of £115,037 being raised. 

Mr Baynes said: “I was pleased to complete this challenge for a cause that is close to my heart as both my parents and my father-in-law died of cancer. 

"It is quite a long time since I did any running and therefore I had to build up my fitness gradually over the 5 weeks of the challenge. 

"I did the running in Wales and also in London in the evenings after working in Parliament and I discovered many sights which I had not seen before. 

"I am very grateful to the large number of family and friends who sponsored me for this truly inspirational cause which brings so much comfort and hope to people suffering with cancer across the UK.”

New railway exhibition opens at museum

* Above and below: the railway exhibition at Llangollen Museum.

A Llangollen Railway volunteer is currently staging a new temporary exhibition in Llangollen Museum.

Entitled Along Lost Lines, the display is by Peter Dickinson, one of the founding members of the railway's Heritage Group.

It charts the history of the old railway line linking Ruabon with the coast at Barmouth. 

The exhibition includes a range of artefacts, posters and exhibits relating to the line. 

A dedicated section includes some original parts from Queen Victoria's Royal Train from 1897 which are being shown in public for the first time. 

The exhibition opens today (Saturday) runs until April 3. Entry is free.  

Currently, the museum will be open Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday from 11-4pm. 

The exhibition is a joint collaboration between the museum and the Llangollen Railway Heritage Group. 

MP visits Llan river restoration project

* Simon Baynes MP, left, with Joel Rees-Jones at the newly-restored stone access ramp in Llangollen. 

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes recently visited Llangollen to see the latest developments at the LIFE Dee River Restoration Project. 

Mr Baynes met with Joel Rees-Jones, the Project Manager from Natural Resources Wales, and visited the Llangollen site to learn more about the developments taking place as part of the Natural Resources Wales’ project. 

As part of the LIFE Dee Project, restoration work is taking place on the two weirs in Llangollen with the aim of improving conditions for threatened species such as Atlantic Salmon, Sea Lamprey and River Lamprey, by minimising the impact of physical barriers in the river and help these species build sustainable populations. 

The development has also provided an opportunity to help improve safety for paddle sports, as well as improving the stone ramp used for access to the River Dee near the downstream weir. 

The LIFE Dee River Project have also been working on similar projects across the catchment.  

The project also focuses on in-river restoration work, such as work recently completed on Brynkinalt Estate. 

Iain Hill-Trevor of Brynkinalt said: “The contractor has done an amazing job, the results are great, and the boost for the habitat of the river is really exciting.” 

Joel Rees-Jones, Project Manager of the LIFE Dee Project at Natural Resources Wales said: “The LIFE project is providing us with a great opportunity to work with partners across the Dee catchment to improve the conditions within the river for the species and habitats found there. We look forwards to seeing and sharing the positive results from the interventions carried out.”  

Mr Baynes said: “My recent visit to the LIFE Dee River Project was a wonderful insight into how the restoration work is going to benefit the local area and it was great to hear from Joel about the exciting developments taking place. 

"This is a positive step forward in ensuring conditions are improved for threatened species and will also improve safety for users of the river.”

The project is supported by the European Union LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity Programme, Environment Agency, Snowdonia National Park Authority and Dwr Cymru. 

Local appointments available to give blood

Local appointments are available to give blood.

* Follow the link for further details: https://wbs.wales/LlangollenTC

Fe allech chi achub 3 bywyd mewn un awr

Rhowch waed os gwelwch yn dda

https://wbs.wales/LlangollenTC

Council answers complaints about overnight noise from 2020 work

* Work on the 2020 project in Castle Street yesterday.

Denbighshire County Council has responded to complaints about noise caused to nearby residents by overnight working on the Llangollen 2020 project.

A post on social media yesterday (Monday) asked: "Anyone know why the workers doing the footpaths (were) still working at 12, waking up my little girl driving machinery in and out of market street?"

This point was later taken up by campaigning page Llangollen Advocate which posted: "Things that go bump in the night …. Yes it’s the 2020 works running on past midnight last night keeping people awake in the town it seems.

"Can Cllr Brian Jones advise when residents were going to be told that works would continue past midnight?

"For how long and on what sections will works take place overnight?"

Cllr Jones is the council’s Lead Member for Waste, Transport and the Environment, which is overseeing the 2020 project.

A spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said: “Due to the current phase of work, the contractor needs to operate a second traffic management system in order to progress with works and provide a safe working area for the workforce.

"Operating it after 6pm reduces the impact on vehicle flow through the town, minimizing the risks of delays at peak traffic times.

“Any excessively noisy work will be carried out early in the evening as to not cause further noise disruption to residents. The last night of working will be Friday 18^th February.

“The council would like to thank members of the public and businesses for their continued patience during the ongoing work.”

Local MP Simon Baynes wins government promotion

* Simon Baynes MP in the House of Commons Chamber.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has been appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) to the Ministerial team at the UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

A (PPS) is selected from backbench MPs to act as an assistant to a minister or team of ministers in the House of Commons. 

The unpaid role is seen as the first rung on the ministerial ladder. 

The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) helps to protect and promote the UK’s cultural and artistic heritage and help businesses and communities to grow by investing in innovation and highlighting Britain as a fantastic place to visit, as well as giving the UK an advantage on the global stage, striving for economic success.

Mr Baynes said: “I am very honoured and delighted to have been appointed as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministerial team at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport. 

"The work of the Department covers many areas of UK Government policy which are extremely important for Clwyd South. 

"And I am looking forward to delivering on the Government’s commitments and continuing to work hard for the people of Clwyd South as their local Member of Parliament.”