Llan Ramblers enjoy morning hike around Erddig

Llangollen Ramblers enjoyed the sunshine on a morning hike around Erddig last week.

* If you're interested in joining them  - and they say you'd be very welcome - contact Judy Smith on smithdinbren@gmail.com

Lexus could be hybrid for you - if you can afford it

Lexus NX 450+ drive by Steve Rogers

Car sales for the last year show we are starting to warm to hybrid and all electric power.

There is more choice and there are a few electric cars for under £30,000, still a lot of money, but it is progress. People tell me owning an electric car is appealing but are still anxious about charging away from home and that is a genuine concern

Who knows whether we will be ready for the switch over in 2030 but if I was changing cars now I would be looking at hybrid or, better still, plug-in hybrid and the car attracting the attention of those with enough money in the bank is the new Lexus NX 450+.

This is the first plug-in hybrid from Lexus and has left the motoring world asking why it has taken so long when parent company Toyota has more experience of alternative power than any other car company. Mitsubishi came up with a plug-in hybrid SUV eight years ago.

It’s here now and as far as electric range goes it is a world beater. With a light foot on the accelerator the NX has a range of up to 43 miles on the open road and could rise to more than 50 trundling around town. That is better than anyone, and the car self charges when the electric juice has run out. Another first.

NX quickly became the company’s best seller after its launch in 2014 but was always behind rivals like Audi Q5 and BMW X3 when it came to driving dynamics and technology. Well watch out boys because the new model is a belter and a half. The hybrid side is one thing but Lexus has gone to town on everything, vastly improving driving pleasure while the tech upgrade outguns its rivals.

The centre piece is a 14 inch touchscreen with clear graphics and razor sharp response. Cloud navigation gives live traffic updates and is the way to go given the challenge of navigation apps on smart phones.

The number of buttons has been reduced from 78 to 45 but there are still nice tactile switches for controlling the heating or changing the radio volume. The bit I needed more time to master are the touch sensitive buttons on the steering wheel. Hover over the switch and a graphic for a particular function appears in the head up display but is so fiddly to operate I gave up.

For pure ease try the voice control which is excellent for choosing a radio station, changing the heating, selecting a navigation destination or asking for a window to be opened.

One word describes the cabin - fabulous. You are spoilt rotten in every way, even the doors release electronically but pushing a button instead of pulling a lever actually takes a little time to master.

Volvo has been my benchmark for the most comfortable seats but the NX matches the Swede here and on the safety front. The Lexus cabin feels like a fortress with so many safety features detecting potential accidents, and with sensors and cameras surrounding the car you should never be at risk of scraping any part of the body.

They have even managed to sort out lane assist which I always turn off. It is now less sensitive and will not tug the car back when moving to overtake or driving close to a verge.

NX 450 is a powerful all wheel drive five door SUV with ridiculously high economy because of its electric range but when depleted do not expect to achieve more than high thirties on petrol power.

Ok the NX 450+ is out of reach of the majority but for those who can pay this sort of money it is good value against its premium rivals and with its low emissions an absolute tax steal for the company driver.

Fast Facts

NX 450+ Takumi

£62,050

2.5 litre petrol; 305bhp

0-62mph 6.3secs; 124mph

256-313mpg combined

26g/km. 1st tax £155

Insurance group 41

Boot 545-1436 litres

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."