The HB Independents are frustrated that  even after a lot of pressure on Lidl that the company has sill not yet altered  its exit from the Maes y Coed Road store.

Fenella said ‘ The store has been open some while now and it is still the case that traffic cannot get out of the car park with ease as there is only one exit lane. The original promise of new arrangements, that would see left & right turns installed, are now still some way off as Lidl are telling us that there are problems with utility services that run underground at the entrance.

Just how much longer are residents supposed to wait?  The traffic chaos at this location has been a nightmare at times, with lots of unnecessary queues.  It needs to be resolved – urgently’

Fenella & Steve Bowden paid a visit to Lamby Way recently and this is what they found:

• Inadequate signage
• Too few parking spaces
• No platform to enable residents to access the skips easily
• No organisation of the skips
• Very few officers to assist
• No support for disabled visitors.

Fenella said ‘I was absolutely stunned at the lack of provision at Lamby Way.  There are no adequate words to describe the lack of facilities at the site, and it certainly is a very, very long way from being able to cope with the ‘traffic’ from Wedal Road. It was shocking.’

Steve added ‘If you don’t know your way to the Lamby Way site, don’t expect the signage to help – it isn’t there!  Once at the site, there is no organisation, and once the queues build up, these will be stretching out onto the Highway causing congestion. Wedal Road is so much more organised & efficient. ‘

Cllr Fenella Bowden & the HBI team have been very concerned to hear that residents have been told by their Labour Councillor that Aldi is to open a store on Caerphilly Road on the currently derelict garage site.  It is also claimed that there is a new housing development planned behind it.

Fenella has checked this information with Cardiff Council who have confirmed that there are NO PLANS for these sites.  Informal, and confidential, early enquiries from a developer to locate a supermarket on the derelict garage site have been knocked on the head by Cardiff Council as there is no suitable access from Caerphilly Road to accommodate such a development.  There are also NO PLANS submitted for a housing development on the former Electrocoin site.

Fenella said ‘I am appalled that information like this is being shared in the public domain when there is no substance to the claims.  There would be huge ramifications for Caerphilly Road & the Phoenix Estate if a supermarket were to be allowed to develop in this location.  The access issues would be extremely difficult – especially with the new configuration of Caerphilly Road’.

Steve Bowden commented ‘The Labour Councillor first shared this ‘news’ at a PACT meeting in Heath last month.  Now it is being circulated across the entire Ward.  I think this is highly irresponsible, and will cause residents distress at the prospect of a supermarket at this location on Caerphilly Road. ‘

We shall be keeping residents informed.

MESSAGE FROM SOUTH WALES POLICE :

We want you to be aware of a recent increase in burglaries where entry has been gained through unlocked/insecure doors and windows.

Please keep your properties secure and report any suspicious incidents.

If you have any information that could assist us, contact 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

We’ve included some crime prevention advice below – help spread the word and share it with your relatives and neighbours living nearby:

• Close and lock your windows – especially over night
• Close and lock your doors. It is also advised to ensure porches, conservatory and patio doors are locked also.
• Do not leave your keys in the locks of your doors; these can be ‘fished out’ by talented burglars through the letter box.
• Do not leave valuables on display inside your home
• Make a note of the serial numbers on valuables, consider registering property on www.Immobilise.com and UV property marking
• If you have an external light, ensure that it is working. Burglars do not want to be seen!
• Lock your garden gates to prevent easy access to your property
• If you have a burglar alarm, ensure that it is working
• If you have CCTV, ensure that it is turned on and recording, in particular over the night time.
• Be vigilant, please report any suspicious people or activity straight away so Police can conduct the necessary checks – who knows, you may prevent a burglary!

Fenella found out last night that she was runner-up for Cardiff North Councillor of the Year 2016.

Commenting on this achievement, Fenella said ‘I was really touched to have been nominated in the first place but I am humbled that I achieved runner-up behind such a strong councillor as Jayne Cowan. Being a councillor for Heath & Birchgrove is such a privilege and I do my best to serve the people of my Ward’.

Remember, we’re here to help residents and believe that people must come before politics.

Cardiff Council has published its draft  Integrated Network map which will include active travel schemes over the next 15 years. Here’s what’s proposed for Heath Ward :  

Heath

Cycle Network Improvements

1a Allensbank Road between Wedal Rd and King George V Drive: Review waiting restrictions and provide traffi­c calming and Advance Stop Lines at signal controlled junctions

2a Junction of King George V Drive and King George V Drive East: Provide cycle exemption to road closure

2b Allensbank Road and Heath Park Avenue: Provide traffi­c calming

83 Rhydhelig Avenue: Removal of centre line and installation of advisory cycle lanes, subject to space

135 Pantbach Road: Provide cycle lanes with no centre line including advanced stop lines

136 Caerphilly Rd/Summerfi­eld Place junction: Tabled junction and provision of right turn pocket for cyclists turning into Pedair Erw Road and Summerfield Place

144 Heathwood Ave/Ton-yr-Ywen Ave junction: Improved crossing facilities

145 Maes Y Coed Road: Light segregation

Primary Route Corridor

NS33 Allensbank Road from Wedal Road to King George V Drive: Provide two-way cycle track with light segregation on eastern side of carriageway. Relocate kerbline on eastern side. May require some kerbline realignment on western side to north of bridge

NS34 Allensbank Road/King George V Drive East junction: Provide signalised crossing facility for cyclists across northern leg of junction to enable cycle movements between north-south two-way cycle track on Allensbank Road and facility on King George V Drive East

NS35 King George V Drive East from Allensbank Road to Hospital Entrance: Continue wide two-way cycle track with light segregation on northern side of carriageway. Relocate kerbline on northern side. Remove traffic lane on King George V Drive East approach to junction. Provide cycle route priority at alleyway and private driveway. Resurface footway.

NS36 King George V Drive East Road Closure: Replace block paving at King George V Drive East road-end with surface appropriate for cycling. Provide dropped kerbs and cycle bypass at existing road closure and appropriate signing/markings.

NS37 King George V Drive East from Road Closure to King George V Drive North: Cyclists to be accommodated on-street given low traffic fl­ows. Resurface carriageway where required to ensure appropriate surface for cyclists. Provide appropriate premium quality route signing and markings. Provide road humps to reduce speeds.

NS38 King George V Drive East from King George V Drive North to Heath Park Avenue: Cyclists to be accommodated on-street given low traffic ­flows. Resurface carriageway where required to ensure appriopriate surface for cyclists. Provide appropriate premium quality route signing and markings. Provide road humps to reduce speeds

NS39 Junction of King George V Drive East/Heath Park Avenue/Heath Halt Road:

• Option 1: Minor improvements to existing layout and signing to improve continuity for cyclists. Also option to provide raised table through junction to reduce speeds and highlight crossing movement.
• Option 2: Signalise junction and include separate stage for east-west cycle movements. Include controlled pedestrian facilities.

NS40 Heath Halt Road from Heath Park Avenue to Lake Road North:

• Option 1: Provide road humps across full length to reduce vehicle speeds and make route less attractive to motor vehicles.
• Option 2: As above but convert to cycle street

If anyone would like to comment on these, please let Fenella know by 1st November 2016.

Fenella met with UHW today to discuss access issues to the hospital that have been raised by residents.  All of these issues will be investigated and Fenella will post the UHW response.

Here are the issues that have been raised :

1 The Gabalfa Interchange is getting congested with cars waiting to access UHW from the A48.

2  Disabled drivers are unable to see if there are any disabled spaces available on the ground floor of the 2 storey car park as they are required to go up to the second floor before being able to come down to look for a space.

3  Why can’t the 2 storey car park have additional levels added to it?  Fenella has been told that the UHB have been prevented from doing this.  She is seeking clarification  on who made this decision.

4  Why aren’t UHW making use of the P&R at Pentwyn?               Fenella has been told that this is being discussed again within the UHB . More to come on this. 

5  Visitors to the site are being told that they cannot turn right towards the Dental Hospital from the Rhydhelig Ave entrance.   Fenella has been told that this is allowed.  Patients will not be able to access A&E from this direction, though.

6  Fenella has asked that the signage at the barrier on the approach from A48 be clear in terms of what to do in an emergency.  There will be an intercom system in place to ensure that any emergency can access A&E without circling the whole UHW site.

7  Why is there no bus information being made more readily available with appointment letters? While there is plenty of information on the UHB website, this is not likely to accessed by older people.  This needs attention.

8  Why are there no electronic indicators on the bus stops and ‘You are here’ signs?

9  Why has the bus shelter not been upgraded opposite A&E, and to include seating area?

Just so that you are aware, all security staff are now provided with body cameras.  There have been a number of incidents where individuals accessing the UHW site have been abusive to staff and these are likely to lead to prosecution.  Please be very careful.

If you have any concerns at all that you would like Fenella to raise, just get in touch.

Just to update residents on progess with the development of the former Highfields site on Allensbank Road.

Cardiff Council has informed councillors that the planning application for the development of 40 new properties on the former Highfields site will be postponed until May 2017.  The application had been expected to be submitted to Planning this month.

Fenella said ‘This has come as a surprise. Every indication pointed to the plans being ready for submission to Planning this month & now residents will have to wait a further 8 months to find out what the final plans are, & to respond to them’.

We have been assured that residents will  be informed of the delay by Council. Fenella is awaiting the copy of the draft letter.

Following the Cardiff & Vale UHB’s recent announcement that it would be  making changes to access to UHW for vehicles, work has begun on site today, 15th August.

The physical works will entail changing priorities, road markings and new signage.  From 22nd August there will be works on the barriers which will be manually operated in the first instance.  It is expected that the works will be completed on 14th September 2016.

Fenella said ‘Residents accessing UHW will need to be prepared for some hold-ups initially.  The access from Rhydhelig Ave will continue to remain open, although there will be a barrier in operation there, and use of it will be assessed by the UHB.’

The road outside A&E will no longer be open and will only be accessible to buses & emergency vehicles.  There will be drop off points on either side of the area.

Fenella added ‘ There is a lot more work for the UHB  to do in relation to their management  proposals for the UHW site, and I remain unconvinced of their commitment to working in partnership with local councillors, residents, and the Council’.

We will be keeping you updated!