Tendering process for Four Great Highways project re-opens

 

* Lower Dee Mill Park is included in the Four Great Highways project.

Llangollen’s 4 Great Highways project has reopened its tendering process following a "re-scoping" exercise to bring the project within budget.

The Denbighshire County Council scheme aims to enhance the landscape and improve accessibility, interpretation and signage in Llangollen.

The project is part of investment by the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund that was secured through a joint application between Denbighshire County Council and Wrexham County Borough Council for the Clwyd South Constituency.

The application was supported by Simon Baynes MP. £3.8 million was allocated to Denbighshire to invest in the communities of Llangollen, Llantysilio, Corwen and surrounding areas.

The tendering process to find a contractor for the project was previously opened in August. However, due to the current market and general levels of construction inflation, all tenders submitted to deliver the original design proposals were significantly overbudget, says the council.

The Project Team has been re-scoping the project over the past few weeks to ensure that the project objective to deliver 960m² of public realm improvements is still achievable within the budget.

The new plans were presented to the Project Board for approval on October 26. No additions have been made to the project design as the main priority is to ensure that the project can be delivered within the allocated budget.

The tendering process for the re-scoped project is now open until midday on November 27. Anyone interested in tendering for the work can do so via Sell2Wales.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “The Four Great Highways project team has undertaken a rigorous re-scoping exercise to ensure that we can deliver a worthwhile project within the budget allocated by the UK Government.

“We are pleased to now have started the tendering process to find a suitable contractor to complete the works needed to deliver this project and we look forward to appointing a suitable candidate to bring the plans to fruition. Once completed, we hope that these improvements enhance the resident and visitor experience and help to encourage people to spend more time in the town.”

* The latest information about Denbighshire County Council’s 4 Great Highways project can be found here: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/four-great-highways

Winter Warmer Wellbeing Day planned for November 30

South Denbighshire Community Partnership is hosting a Llangollen Winter Warmer Wellbeing Day at St Collen’s Community Hall on Thursday November 30, from 10am-2pm.

It will feature a variety of wellbeing activities for people to take part in and enjoy, along with the serving of homemade soup and refreshments.

People can take advantage of a mini health check while they are there.

They will also be able to chat to organisations that can support them to keep well and warm this winter.

A limited number of free goodie bags will be available and everyone who attends will be entered into a free prize draw with the chance to win an airfryer, heated blanket, Aldi voucher or slow cooker.

 

Air ambulance flies out casualty from major river incident

A patient was taken by air ambulance to Stoke for treatment following a large emergency services incident on the River Dee in Froncysyllte this morning, the Denbighshire Free Press has reported.  

North Wales Police shut Gate Road, near the country park, for a short period, the story says.

* For the full story, see: Froncysyllte: Reports of emergency services at River Dee | Denbighshire Free Press 

S-Cross is unsung hero of the Suzuki range

Suzuki S-Cross drive by Steve Rogers

How can something be big and small at the same time?

Bit of a conundrum but not necessarily in the case of the Suzuki S-Cross hybrid. It is one of those cars that sits in a league of its own, classed as a small SUV but big compared to its rivals. Puzzle solved.

If we discount Swace and Across, both rebadged Toyotas, S-Cross is now the halo model although if asked to name a Suzuki most would likely say Vitara, Swift or Ignis before S-Cross.

Yet this is a car not without its merits and in many ways is the unsung hero of the range. Suzuki is not a big player in the UK market so has to rely on its enviable reliability record and value for money, even base models are packed with standard kit and S-Cross is no exception but I would probably avoid the flagship Ultra, tested here, and save money by going lower down the range.

The Ultra name sums up the car because it has a long spec sheet that includes an automatic gearbox and the highly efficient all wheel drive system. I could not help comparing S-Cross with the MG HS. This is a £24,000 SUV that could take a £30k price tag while the Ultra does not feel like a car nudging £33,000.

The cabin is bland with a lot of hard black plastic finishes, yet everything is solidly put together; you will find no trim creak or rattles here.

The tech has been updated with new graphics for the nine inch touch screen, along with a surround camera which is exclusive to S-Cross. Navigation is also standard on Ultra but all models come with Smartphone mirroring so mobile direction apps can be displayed on the screen.

I was also glad to see a digital speedometer in the driver's binnacle something badly needed  given the European style 20mph increments in the main dial which are not that clear on the silver background.

S-Cross does well on space front and back although headroom could be a tad tight for six footers as the rear bench sits higher than the front seats. All the seats are firm but supportive.

That firmness carries through to the ride which smothers bumps and thuds as well as controlling body roll, but you could not describe the car as super comfortable, probably a bi-product of the all wheel drive system and the need for stiffer suspension.

Although it pushes up the cost Suzuki's Allgrip is an exceptional four wheel drive option compared with big money alternatives. Let's not kid ourselves that this is a full blown off roader but it has settings for three surfaces and I know from experience that it will get you out of gluey mud and give peace of mind in snow and slush, and it comes with hill hold control.

A six speed auto box is standard on the Ultra and helps give S-Cross terrific economy. Using the economy setting I coasted past the official combined figure easily topping 50mpg, and that is a big selling point particularly for four wheel drive. The only drawback in economy is a slowish response pulling away and I found myself slipping into manual for a faster getaway.

Safety is well catered for with adaptive cruise control, lane assist and cross traffic alert which is so useful when reversing out of supermarket parking bays. I would like to see that on all cars. The 360 degree camera is a worthwhile addition and there are front and rear parking sensors.

Interestingly the better performing S-Cross has the smaller 1.4 litre engine but I would stick with the hybrid because of the economy benefits even though it is not that quick and a bit coarse when pushed.

Fast facts

S-Cross Ultra Allgrip

£32,649 (starts £26,099)

1.5 litre hybrid 113bhp

0-62mph 13.5secs; 108mph

48.7mpg combed (54mpg tested)

132g/km. First tax £245

Insurance group 16

Llangollen company lands major national contract

A story in the Leader says that a Llangollen-based outdoor activity company is expanding its operations across the whole of Wales after being awarded a prestigious contract with the YHA.

Safe and Sound Outdoors, established in 2007, has been given the task of providing activities for youngsters at the Youth Hostel Association's sites in Wales and Chester. 

* For the full story, see: Youth Hostel Association contact for Llangollen company | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk)

County provides electric vehicles for social care staff

* Care staff with the electric vehicles.

Denbighshire County Council have been working to support the social care sector and reduce its carbon footprint by facilitating the use of electric vehicles, as well as access to driving lessons for staff who will be providing care in people’s homes. 

With funding secured from Welsh Government, the council now has 10 electric vehicles available for staff providing care and have also made grant awards to providers for driving lessons. 

Following an application process, two independent domiciliary care providers, Co-options and Alexandra House, have been awarded five-year zero cost leases for two e-vehicles. 

The council has also provided Co-options with an e-bike for non-driving care staff to use. 

The remaining vehicles are being used by Denbighshire County Council domiciliary care staff.

The E-vehicles, as well as the number of driving lessons that have been awarded to care staff, are supporting domiciliary care workers to provide much needed care to people across Denbighshire. 

Council vehicles are replaced with E-vehicles as existing fleet vehicles come to the end of their life. They are then replaced with reduced carbon vehicles. 

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “These vehicles not only help our environment, but also the staff who are using them to provide important services and care to the people of Denbighshire. 

"It is great that independent domiciliary care providers have also been granted access to the vehicles, as use of e-vehicles helps to reduce the amount of Carbon that is produced.”

Councillor Elen Heaton Lead Member for Health and Social Care said: “We’re very grateful for this funding provided by the Welsh Government as reliable transportation for our social care teams is vitally important. They play a huge role in supporting and caring for the people within our county.

"Not only does this initiative support our mission to provide high quality care and support to our community, it also contributes to a more sustainable and environmentally friendly future for our country which is vital.”

Local roadworks alerts from county council

Latest local roadworks update from Denbighshire County Council is:

OUTSIDE PROPERTY KNOWN AS 10 GER Y DDOL ABBEY ROAD 07/11/2023 09/11/2023 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY LLANGOLLEN

Castle St, Oak St, Bridge St & Chapel St, Llangollen CASTLE STREET 12/11/2023 12/11/2023 Sul y Cofio / Remembrance Sunday LLANGOLLEN TOWN COUN LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

A539 From Castle Street to Greenfield MARKET STREET 25/11/2023 25/11/2023 Ffair Nadolig / Christmas Fair SUNBELT RENTALS (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road

TREVOR HALL LODGE A539 LLANGOLLEN ROAD 21/11/2023 21/11/2023 Adferiad/ Reinstatement HAFREN DYFRDWY (DCC) LLANGOLLEN