Danger to cyclists Action in Bute Park

  No helpful response from cllrs so we had a nother protest to highlight the danger to cyclists from new bridge entrance. they have designed the entrance so that it is extra wide and can have 4 lorries on it goining in and out at the same time, which makes it very dangerous! Time the council think pedestrians and cyclists before cars and lorries. They have had the cheek to put a dropped kerb for pedestrains here with a huge lampost in the mifddle of it so that a wheelchair user has to go into the road or cycle lane!! And they claim this has has a safety audit?!

 

Green Party Action Cardiff news - Pedals and petals clash at entry to RHS spring show: http://bit.ly/dbgpmo

Pedals and petals clash at entry to RHS spring show

Apr 16 2010 by Ed Walker, South Wales Echo

GREEN activists left traders queuing to get into Bute Park to set up for the RHS Flower Show, which starts today.
The event is one of the biggest of the year in Cardiff but vehicles were locked out as cyclists blocked the entrance to the park across the controversial bridge from North Road.
They are angry about a cycle lane at the entrance of the new Bute Park bridge they claim should not be crossed by vehicles.
Anne Greagsby, leading the protests, was adamant Cardiff council was not putting the safety of park users at the heart of their plans for the park.
She said: “Our protest is about safety for cyclists and pedestrians. How can someone stand there and claim it’s safe when they build a safety ramp for disabled people and put a lamppost and a sign in front of it?
“I could cry over what’s happening to this beautiful park. I just can’t believe the councillors could be so ignorant about what people want to happen with the park.”
The protest followed objections to the building of the bridge and the official opening last week was marred by protesters who branded it a “monstrosity”.
Max Wallis, from Cardiff Friends of the Earth, said: “Even though they have marked it as an official cycle lane and done a safety assessment, any priority they claim to give to cyclists is not legally enforceable.”
Councillor Nigel Howells, the council’s executive member for sport, leisure and culture, said: “Stage 1 and Stage 2 Road Safety Audits have been carried out by independent consultants which identified the conflict between the proposed access and the existing footway and cycle route.
“As a result additional signs have been put up on North Road informing drivers that there is a cycle lane and that they should look both ways. Similarly, for vehicles leaving the park, signs have been erected informing drivers to give way to cyclists and pedestrians.
“The council is satisfied that all necessary safety and legal considerations relating to the new bridge’s access arrangements have been addressed, and the presence of a marshal on the bridge will further ensure the safe and effective management of the new arrangements for the duration of the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) show.
“I am once again looking forward to welcoming thousands of flower and garden lovers from all over the country to the show which I am sure will prove to be another great success in the wonderful setting of Bute Park.”
Sam Coates, the Green Party election candidate for Cardiff Central, was also at the protests.
He said: “This access via the Bute Park bridge needs to be closed until it’s made safe for cyclists.”

WalesOnline - CardiffOnline - Cardiff news - Cyclists 'could be ...

9 Apr 2010 ... Apr 9 2010 by Mike Brown, South Wales Echo. Cyclists 'could be killed' on new lorry bridge. PROTESTERS have called for the new Bute Park . 

Protest Thursday 12.30 at new bridge entrance North Road

Big Protest tomorrow our demands were not answered... so we have yet another protest..
The lorries and all the cars and vans going inot the park pose a real DANGER TO Cyclists as they turn in over the cycle lane!
As well as fill the park with unwanted traffic!!!

Take Action See you there on thursday 12.30 to 1.30 at BUTE PARK new bridge entrance on north road .
No answer back from Del-boy (Cllr Delme Bowen Plaid C) over our challenging driving on the mandatory cycleway as unlawful. Nor from the 'Leader' (Cllr Berman Lib Dem) who promised immediate attention.
Love to hear from any election candidates who will support our action and attend tomorrow?

What we asked...
To Council Leader, Rodney Berman plus Exec Member for Transport Delme Bowen

New Bute Park entrance – unsafe and unlawful

The entrance was picketed around 1pm on 8th april and vehicles turned away. You will have seen the Echo report of 9th April and the excuses of the Council spokesperson that fail to mention the unlawful driving and do not claim a safety assessment of the scheme as built.

We demand that Cardiff Council close it and revert to the old entrance for the Royal Horticultural Show traffic, until the safety and legality issues are resolved.

The design is a disgrace, destroying the pavement along North Road for 30 metres, and providing nothing for pedestrians crossing from the Corbett Road side, at a junction where drivers of fast-moving vehicles wishing to turn into the Park may well be distracted from noticing pedestrians and cyclists.

Vehicle left turns across a cycleway are a recognised hazard to cyclists, and this design is worse than many. This cycleway is mandatory - driving on it is unlawful. New markings denoting “give way” by cyclists are not legal. The no-driving stipulation means vehicles cannot lawfully access the Park this route. The police did not intervene - the picket was fully successful in stopping the unlawful vehicles.

We call on Cardiff Council to withdraw their traffic marshal (complicit with law breaking) and close this gateway to vehicles for the RH Show forthwith.
Please confirm that you will ensure action is taken without further delay.

Max Wallis
CCAB, Cardiff University
with support of
Cardiff Green Party
Save Bute Park action group
Bute Parks Alliance
Cardiff Cycling Campaign
Living Streets

NOTE >>>SAVE RUMNEY REC meeting tomorrow -.WAG have apporved building on rec!!!
I am stunned that the WAG have approved this scheme which is unstainable and environmentally damaging and will effect peoples health as their means of recreation is taken from then and make their lives unhappy!  The WAG and the council shoulsdd listen to the local peoples views which is clearly agaisnt their scheme!
 The Green Party support this campaign.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llanrumney
http://rreelactiongroup.webs.com/ourstaffcontact.htm

PUBLIC MEETING

TO DISCUSS THE WAY FORWARD

THURSDAY, 15th APRIL, 2010

RUMNEY & LANRUMNEY

ROYAL BRITISH LEGION

7:30 pm

The Campaign Continues

Can't trust CADW helping transform Bute Park into Vehicle Heaven

CADW shame! How can they justify this ugly bridge in a listed park?

2.  Has Cadw looked at/viewed the new bridge now it has been built?

RICHARD KEVERN

Gweinyddu Henebion / Ancient Monuments Administration reply

Yes. Cadw’s Inspector of historic parks and gardens visited the site on 20 January 2010 and considers that the authority appears to have adhered to the design as contained in the approved planning application. The visit confirmed that the timber cladding on the bridge had been put in place since the date of your e-mail and that the significant trees nearest the works are being well protected by timbers. The Council has provided laminated information sheets within the park to help provide information to members of the public and explain the extent of the work being carried out.  The construction works are on going and not yet complete.  Responsibility for ensuring that they conform to the planning permission rests with the Council’s Development Control Department.

1.  Will Cadw now review its support of the “road” to be built through the park and turning circle?

"Cadw’s letter of 19 September 2008, issued in response to consultation from the local planning authority, was to help inform its consideration of the planning application. Cadw’s assessment of the impact of the proposals on the historic environment was objective and impartial and taken into account, along with other views and material considerations, by the local authority when it determined the application."

CADW should think of a listed park like a store and NO vehicles should be allowed in unless absolutely vital - environmentally friendly small vehicles only - get the gardeners on their bikes and absolutely no parking for staff/gardeners own vehicles in the park. They should be encouraged to park and ride or bus or walk to work.


And in the top picture note than even twiggy would have trouble with this footpath!

Action on New Motorway bridge into Bute Park

The action was covered by WalesOnline 
Cyclists ‘could be killed’ on new lorry bridge: Green Party Action in Cardiff http://bit.ly/bzJjPr
some pictures here of 1. the badly designed monstrosity of a bridge going in to bute park and danger ot cyclists and pedestrians...
2. And some of the work going on yesterday chopping back beautiful mature trees so they won't damage Articulated lorries..Shame on Cardiff Lib Dems and Plaid!
3. The events transport organiser person was sat on the bridge with his red car a yard away..
Our demands sent to Cardiff  ... 

New Bute Park entrance – unsafe and unlawful

 The entrance was picketed yesterday 8th April around 1pm and vehicles turned away.

We demand that Cardiff Council close it and revert to the old entrance for the Royal Horticultural Show traffic, until the safety and legality issues are resolved.

The design is a disgrace, destroying the pavement along North Road for 30 metres, and providing nothing for pedestrians crossing from the Corbett Road side, at a junction where drivers of fast-moving vehicles wishing to turn into the Park may well be distracted from noticing pedestrians and cyclists.

Vehicle left turns across a cycleway are a recognised hazard to cyclists, and this design is worse than many. 

This cycleway is mandatory - driving on it is unlawful.  New markings denoting “give way” by cyclists are not legal.  The no-driving stipulation means vehicles cannot lawfully access the Park this route.  The police did not intervene - the picket was fully successful in stopping the unlawful vehicles.

We call on Cardiff Council to withdraw their traffic marshal (complicit with law breaking) and close this gateway to vehicles for the RH Show forthwith.

Max Wallis

CCAB, Cardiff University

with support of

Cardiff Green Party

Save Bute Park action group

Bute Parks Alliance

Cardiff Cycling Campaign

Living Streets

New access is crossing a “mandatory” cycleway – driving on this is traffic offence.

The opening of the new/ Corbett Rd bridge into But park missed Easter, despite overtime working to meet that deadline, because of some ‘thisngs to sort out’, the workmen said.

The new access to Bute Park for artic lorries is crossing a “mandatory” cycleway – driving (and parking) on this one is a traffic offence.  The Council would have to make a new Order as they’ve restored the cycleway within a solid white line but haven't yet..

Cyclists objections to this design as unsafe/dangerous for them have been ignored.

The hazard of such a junction to cyclists comes because vehicle drivers turning off the main highway pay regard to the traffic lights and other vehicles and may well miss cyclists, though they are supposed to give way to them.

The solution proposed to Council officers was to re-lay the cycleway close to the fence, maybe on a raised hump and including signing.  They’ve ignored this no doubt because they say the road is only an “access” and traffic laws do not apply.  So the only recourse that cyclist have is to object to changing the mandatory cycleway to allow vehicle crossover.

 No safe crossover to and from Corbett Rd has been designed, when they just lengthened the splitter island.  Is this contravening the Disability Discrim Act? They could have widened it sufficiently to take a wheelchair - but didn't.

Bute Park – A tear is shed

Excellent article here from Mark Groves..on the bute park development: http://bit.ly/cLSO60
As the person who started this campaign I am very sad that all representations, petitions, Failed! The Lib Dems and Plaid Cymru railroaded this through and voted on it several times with the support of the Heritage Lottery fund and was given a blessing from CADW! I was nearly knocked down by Cllr McEvoy who used the terrorism act to seal off the city hall from Bute Park protesters! I was thrown out of the council public gallery as they defended the ROAD! A monument to stupidity - a road for articulated lorries. and they continue to concrete over the park.....lets hope they suffer for it at the next election... Any one know the opening date...? so we can be there and continue to oppose articulated lorries entering the park They are digging in coppers field now making turning circles  for lorries!!..
Facebook group here..  http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=10999506173&ref=ts

Bute Park – A tear is shed

By 

Mark Groves

Published: March 30, 2010Posted in: City Centre, Development, Featured, Opinion, Parks, PlanningTags: bute park, Cardiff, castle grounds, City Centre, landmarks, Parks, Photography

The development of Bute Park, including the new bridge, have proved controversial

With the upcoming news about Bute Park and it’s proposed destructive development, I have to say I genuinely shed a tear and felt great sadness.

It’s very hard to put into words exactly what I feel without making a post that is completely family ‘unfriendly’ but I think you get the idea of just how rotten I feel inside.

When I started my photography hobby Bute Park was the first place I visited, in fact I actually took one of my favourite shots of all time there, Stoned (left). I’ve even been featured in Schmap with one of my pictures of the Iconic Queens tower from the Castle Grounds / Bute Park.

Unfortunately, I get the feeling that the famous city grounds will look nothing like even a shadow of it’s former self with the proposed road going through it. Again, I appreciate the need for access, but please, why do we insist on destroying things like this?

It’s long been talked about a tram system similar to the one in Sheffield to aid in reducing traffic congestion (it would also be brilliant in replacing certain bus routes that are forever plagued by traffic) so why has this never materialised? for those of you old enough to remember, Castle Street and St Mary’s Street had something similar in the past, Trolley busses. You can see a picture of them here (Taken by Photo by D.J. Norton ) so it’s not inconceivable either!

It does of course bring up the question, what are the people who are doing this smoking?

Yes there is a need for better transport. Yes I know, it’ll ease the frankly awful congestion around the city centre but there is another way!

In fact there are several other ways, including trams, more busses, better around city parking, more park and ride services for commuters etc.

The list goes on! As far as I am aware however, Cardiff is doing everything it can to prevent people from coming into the town centre, i.e. the ridiculously sized and badly built ’speed hump’  or, ‘Vehicular Traffic Calming Measure’ to use it’s proper name, at the end of Queen Street. Whoever came up with the design alone for that really needs to be made to drive over it six times a day, I regularly see cars hit that thing and then bottom out going up and down it, I’ve quite frequently seen sparks from exhausts slamming into it (even at low speeds) and more than enough bumpers being scraped along the bottom of it (if you look closely on a monday morning you can actually see scars on the hump itself, and bits of plastic from sump guards and bumpers along the kerbside where they have inevitably been ripped off.

Perhaps the new road is actually a diversion around the speed hump, it wouldn’t surprise me if the Government or Council (whoever it is) had decided that instead of shaving off an inch from the top of the gargantuan asphalt lump they would just build a road around it.

No, my pain is much deeper than that, for me and many others. Words cannot really express how I feel.

Cardiff Fib Dems boast of "protecting our parks and winning awards too"

The Cardiff fib Dems have been distributing a news paper called the Cardiff Herald  a4 page newspaper which they doesn't say the Fib Dem's produced it themselves...only know if you are looking for it at the very end in tiny print.

Fib Dems have such a cheek to claim to be green for "protecting our parks"  as they concete over Bute Park as you read this!!! And for articulated lorries..???
They boast too of green flag award for Cardiff parks and wouldn't disclose who the judges are....so why hide that info unlesss it show bias!!


so what else do they say...some highlights..
"we have launched a new free shuttle service which circles the city every ten minutes" which has been a disaster
"new routes for Cardiff bus  - reducing carbon and congestion" !!!
make bus routes one way and inconvenient and claim its green!!! Making more space for cars?? Building huge car parks ... so reduce the buses and call that green?? Couldn't make it up!!