Upgrade proposed for rail line through Chirk/Ruabon

* Chirk rail station.

A main rail line used regularly by Llangollen travellers could be in line for an upgrade.

Today (Friday) sub-national transport body Midlands Connect releases its Marches Road and Rail blueprint at a virtual conference.

It says the aim is to help ‘unlock the full economic potential of the Marches and Mid and West Wales.

The proposals are for a suite of upgrades for rail improvements in Herefordshire; Shropshire; and Telford & Wrekin as well as counties in Mid and West Wales. The plans have been created in conjunction with the Welsh Government.

For the Chester to Shrewsbury line, which stops at Wrexham, Ruabon, Chirk and Gobowen, Midlands Connect is proposing:

• Secure faster and a higher frequency of trains, with greater direct connectivity between Telford and Chester
• Reviews of accessibility to train stations, identifying any barriers people may have in using them for the “first and last mile” of their journey.

Midlands Connect also proposes the government support upgrades on the Birmingham – Black Country – Shrewsbury rail line as the ‘gateway’ to the Marches and Mid and West Wales.

It also recommends road upgrades for the A5 not just to improve local safety, but to enhance the longer distance role played by the A5 in connecting England to Holyhead and beyond.

It also suggests delivery of the Pant – Llanymynech bypass as soon as possible as well as the A49 corridor given its role in moving people and freight in and out of Wales.

Midlands Connect will take this blueprint to Government to ask for funding, specifically for the rail schemes as part of the Union Connectivity Review, in conjunction with the Welsh Government. Funding was set aside to progress key projects in the report, released in November 2021.

Maria Machancoses, CEO of Midlands Connect said: “This document outlines a series of road and rail projects that we believe could unlock the full economic potential of the Marches and Mid and West Wales.

“Midlands Connect has been working closely with the Welsh Government to create a plan that we will take to government in Westminster.

“All these improvements would help bind the union together but help Herefordshire, Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin get the rail and road improvements they need.”

 

Newbridge road may be shut for another year, says BBC story

According to a story on the BBC online service, the B5605 in Newbridge may be shut another year.

* For the full story see: Wrexham: B5605 in Newbridge may be shut another year - BBC News

 

Local roadworks notified by county council

Latest local roadworks notified by Denbighshire County Council are:

Outside 5 CHURCH STREET 20/02/2023 22/02/2023 Gwaith Trydanol / Electrical Works QUARTZELEC (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

O/S TOWER FARM COTTAGE TOWER ROAD 14/02/2023 16/02/2023 Gwaith Nwy / Gas Works WALES & WEST (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

From Dee Cottage to Bishop's Walk MILL STREET 03/03/2023 05/03/2023 Torri Coed / Tree Cutting SHIFT TRAFFIC EVENTS LTD. LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

A539 OUTSIDE NUMBER 2, QUINTA BIRCH HILL 20/02/2023 22/02/2023 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

OUTSIDE 6 GREENFIELD 27/02/2023 27/02/2023 Adferiad/ Reinstatement O'CONNOR UTILITIES (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Nr GLASFRYN ABBEY ROAD 20/02/2023 22/02/2023 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY LLANGOLLEN

A542 Hall St Link Road HALL STREET LINK ROAD 09/01/2023 17/02/2023 Gwaith Gwelliant/ Improvement Works DCC WORKS UNIT (PHILIP BI LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Nr Haulwen ABBEY ROAD 02/03/2023 02/03/2023 Gwaith Carthffosiaeth/ Sewer Works ALUN GRIFFITHS LLANGOLLEN

CHAPEL STREET 09/01/2023 17/02/2023 Gwaith Gwelliant/ Improvement Works DCC WORKS UNIT (PHILIP BI LLANGOLLEN Un Ffordd/ One Way

Hall street Llangollen HALL STREET 09/01/2023 17/02/2023 Gwaith Gwelliant/ Improvement Works DCC WORKS UNIT (PHILIP BI LLANGOLLEN Atal Parcio / Parking Suspension Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

A539 MILL STREET 27/02/2023 01/03/2023 NMWTRA (LISA BILTON) LLANGOLLEN Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights 21:00 - 06:00

Rotary briefs cubs on its worldwide aid projects

Mike Lade (pictured above) from the Vale of Llangollen Rotary visited the Ist Llangollen Cubs to talk about his organisation's two humanitarian projects which cope with natural or man-made disasters around the world.

Shelterbox and AquaBox both began as Rotary projects, in Helston, Cornwall and Winksworth, Derbyshire respectively.

Shelter Box is more often than not one of the first non-government organisation’s into any natural, man-made disaster or conflict.

And AquaBox provides a crate filled with humanitarian aid as well as a family-sized water filtration system that will process polluted and contaminated water to make it safe for drinking.

Mike Lade said: “The cubs were very attentive and seemed to really enjoy working the demonstration AquaBox to turn the filthiest water into clear water fit to drink.

"We were very grateful for the presentation of a cheque that will be put to good use on one of our community projects."

More information on Shelterbox and how you can contribute can be found at www.shelterbox.org and for AquaBox details visit www.aquabox.org.

The Vale of Llangollen Rotary welcomes individuals and couples of 18+ from the local community who want to be “people of action”.  

The club normally meets face-to-face, at Liberty Tavern in Market Street, Llangollen on Monday evenings at 7.30pm. Alternatively, people can join the meeting from wherever they are via the club's Zoom account connection.

* For more information on the club, contact Mike Lade on 07803 038858, valeofllangollenrotary@gmail.com, or see www.valeofllangollenrotary.com. 

Work on new woodland area near cemetery almost complete

* Jeanette Robinson and Mike Gleed of the Tidy Town Team plant a tree in the woodland area.

* David Davies, left, of the Tidy Town Team and John Gambles of the Mission Area get stuck into the tree planting. 

Work to transform an area of under-used woodland near St John’s Church off Abbey Road into a 'tranquil' outdoor area should be finished by the end of this month.

That's according to the man in charge of the Green Space project to sympathetically redevelop a 1.5-acre triangular-shaped piece of land between the river, the railway and the cemetery into what he described as a “tranquil area where people can find peace with themselves ... where they can sit, relax and contemplate.”

John Gambles leads the Valle Crucis Mission Area, the body which co-ordinates the work of 15 parish churches in the Dee Valley area and has led the project with cash from the Green Communities Project match-funded by St Collen’s Church.

Yesterday (Friday) volunteers from Llangollen's Tidy Town Team, who have been closely involved with the work since it began last year, were back on site to add the final touches to the woodland area in the shape of 20 new trees.

Mr Gambles said: "Work on the tranquil area will be finished by the end of this month with the pathways in place and the land cleared and tidied, and then it's a case of doing a little more work around the cemetery.

"Also included in the scheme is extending the existed limited car parking area for graveyard visitors by the removal of a privet hedge and the planting of a line of ornamental trees to screen it from the consecrated land set aside for the extension of the burial area, the creation of a small wildflower meadow plus the fixing of posts and chestnut palings along the rider side of the site."

He added: "The Tidy Town Team has done more good work for us by planting the trees in the woodland area.

"The 20 they have put in are a mixture of apple and quince trees, which have all been sourced in either north Wales or the border counties of England - the apples are from Bardsey Island off the Lyn Peninsula, so hopefully we will soon have an edible forest here. 

"Some trees, a number of which were diseased, were removed from the woodland area but logs from the healthy ones have been left on the ground to create a habitat for small mammals.

"Wildlife will also benefit from the 20 bird nesting boxes created for us by the technical department at Ysgol Dinas Bran and put in place ready for this year's breeding season.

"Everything that's been done will soon be turning green, so hopefully this will be a lore more pleasant place."  

Choir's St David's Day concert announced

 

Safety concerns expressed about new-look Hill Street/A5 junction

                               

The resident's picture of the way the junction is currently.

* Their interpretation of the many ways pedestrians and drivers will have to assess the re-modelled junction before negotiating it.

A Llangollen resident has voiced concerns that the work currently being carried out to re-shape the junction of Hill Street and the A5 could be “very dangerous” for pedestrians.

Contractors for the county council and working on behalf of the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent moved in on January 9 to begin a six-week programme at the busy junction.

This will include the creation of three new signalised crossings.

Two of these will be on the A5, one from the front of number 4 Berwyn Street to the side of the Armoury, and the second from the front of M’Eating Point to the front of the Welsh Methodist Chapel.

The third crossing will be on Castle Street, near the A5 junction, running from the side of the chapel to the front of the shop opposite.

The priority of the junction of Hall Street and Hill Street will be amended, with the existing island there being removed. A new uncontrolled crossing will run between the Armoury and the Grapes.

There will be a new stop-line position marked on the A5 in front of the junction.

The concerned resident, after a long study of the issue but does not wish to be named, says they have expressed their fears about the work to the county council and the Welsh Government.   

They explained: “I've been trying to raise concerns for over a year. I have just been passed around. I was told the plans would be revised. They haven't been. 

“I have now been forwarded to the Welsh Government but they won't be back for comment for 15 days. It's too late then. Plans need to be changed now.  

“Pedestrians crossing from bottom of Hill Street will have to look for traffic coming from five directions at any one time from a 315-degree radius, on a very busy junction.  

“As it is at the moment it can be dangerous to cross to the island, having to assess for traffic from three directions, the other two being on other side of island as the current layout is now. 

“People are limited to concentrate on only a few things at any one time. Putting this fact in a scenario for pedestrians to cross the road is very dangerous.  

“It is dangerous because not only will the pedestrians have to assess dangers from five possible directions but also and a driver will have to assess vehicles and pedestrians from five possible directions. Drivers will fail to see pedestrians crossing if they are concentrating on traffic from four directions.  

“To add, the crossing will be longer than what it currently is now.”

The resident added: "The 'keep clear' area will get blocked as there is only space for one car in front of the traffic lights (which already partially blokes the exit from Hill St). 

"With a flow of traffic, I doubt very much that vehicles will wait for the space in front of lights to clear before they proceed to it. It is inevitable that when the lights turn red that at least one car will be in the 'keep clear' area, blocking off exit and entrance. 

"In the new plans there will be no space for vehicles caught in the 'keep clear' area to move to, in turn completely blocking the junction every time the lights are red. I think there should be a box junction instead of 'keep clear'. 

"I also think it is vital that a pedestrian refuge island is placed halfway across the crossing at bottom of Hill St crossing." 

* Llanblogger has asked the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent to comment. A spokesperson said: "The correspondent will receive a reply to his letter/e-mail very soon. We won’t be providing a separate response."