Goodbye Bute Park Hello Howells Highway

check this out...Edward writes....what's this really all about?
I was looking at a map of Bute Park recently and noticed something which might 
give a clue as to why the council is building this illegal and immoral road.

I wrote a blog item about it and mocked up some images.
Keep fighting them!
Edward

See also our Face book group here

Will we always have our park?

Will we always have our park?

letter in Echo today..

THE more I hear from Cardiff council, the more I’m inclined to sympathise with the Bute Park campaigners.

Councillor Howells accuses them of “inaccuracies” but he claims that only one holly tree will be removed to make way for the bridge. But what about all the trees removed from the embankment joining the park to the very busy North Road?

He says these were all dead or dying and have been independently surveyed. But will they be replaced?

This area used to be quiet and isolated from the road but now all that can be experienced is the roar of traffic and the scent of exhaust fumes.

He goes on to criticise Nerys Lloyd-Pierce for describing the new bridge as “motorway style”, but nowhere does he refute this.

I often walk through this part of the park and I have seen the new bridge in construction and it is a huge industrial-type, motorway- style bridge. It towers over the existing footpath and is totally out of character with the park.

Coun Howells’ only justification for this bridge is “health and safety” but the bridge is only moving vehicles from one part of the park to another. The only true way to enhance safety is to ban heavy good vehicles from the park and to move the nursery and plant distribution centre to a brownfield site outside of the city centre.

And finally, I agree it is not a question whether Bute Park can win this award three years in a row but whether, in 30 years’ time, we will still have a park at all.

PA Martin

RiversideCardiff

Note 2 Sept 2009 the Echo reported that..Coun Margaret Jones also jetted off to Stockholm for the Globe Forum Awards as a guest of the organisers to receive an award for Cardiff as a sustainable city from Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.
“It proves we are helping to lead the way in sustainability, not just in Europe, but right across the globe. We now look forward to continuing that success in the years to come,” said Coun Jones at the time.

You couldn't make it up!

WalesOnline - News - Letters - South Wales Echo Letters - Friday ...

13 Nov 2009 ... IN a recent Echo report, Councillor Howells stated that 21 trees in Bute Park were to be felled because of disease (“We must kill trees to ...

Note Cllr Howells Fib Dem

Coun Howells also made the second most frequent declarations of hospitality so far in 2009, declaring events including hospitality at the Bafta Cymru awards, Six Nations rugby clashes, a Cardiff Devils dinner and other engagements.
Councillor Nigel Howells, who is responsible for sport, parks and culture, travelled to the German city of Leipzig to see the city’s white-water rafting and canoe course.

Travesty Cllr Howells Equality Impact assessment

There have been Machiavellian gutter tactics here in the attempt to push this through.

Cardiff Council ‘information’ material does NOT clarify that the proposed access bridge is more than 28 feet wide, and will be raised on pillars, and that sections of the current eight-foot path would be more than doubled in width and turned into a lorry roadway raised on an embankment. Nor does it say it would be still wider on curves to accommodate the largest lorries and that still more of the meadow would be converted to a lorry waiting bay.

EXAMPLE of BAD PRACTICE

I did ask why there had been no Equality Impact assessment. So they produce a phoney one which they composed this month, which can not be considered valid as this document purporting to be an EqIA is a travesty as the idea is to engage with the community before the policy is developed. Only a handful of organisations have been approached and many issues not addressed. Cllr Howells writes "The new access bridge will provide an alternative vehicular access for thepark and will therefore there are no disability access implications which specifically relate to it" Doesn’t mention the raised road that pedestrians will share with articulated lorries and the risks that that poses.

The equality impact assessment does look at the huge articulated Lorries which will give rise to complaints made about noise and exhaust emissions. Pedestrians will feel their safety is compromised, especially on this unsuitable raised path/road. Also the noise and vibration will cause alarm and distress plus concerns about fumes.

• In a survey*:33% hearing lorries were bothered by them
• Heavy Lorries are 13 times more noisy than cars in congestion
• Vibration correlated best with lorry flows
• 37% consider lorries produce worse fumes

Other options were not consulted on, some of these should have been

- no articulated lorries in the park

- moving the nursery

- park and ride for articulated lorries

It is also impossible to understand why the Heritage lottery Fund has asked for this £1.4 million bridge to be put in place and a road built for lorries as a condition of funding for 'restoring the park' except that there emphasis is on the castle rather than the park.

Cllr Nigel Howells, Exec member has the scheme in his portfolio
Reports from council officers were 'sexed down' to minimise the impact.
The Highways “Options Appraisal” was altered (between the January and August versions) to support the Parks’ claim of the present situation being ‘unsafe’ and the Project being ‘essential

** Decisions Planning committee

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&source=web&ct=res&cd=4&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cardiff.gov.uk%2Fobjview.asp%3Fobject_id%3D9508&ei=LFAESY-3Lpm-eO3u-esN&usg=AFQjCNHq04Z8X5InpOGdTFH1w2EYHVkFXw&sig2=GSjjyWmdqsa96cYWJv7UJg

last minute tricks by Fib Dems and Plaid Lies

Last minute amendment to motion 3 but still proceeding with the road/bridge into listed bute park.

Support has been given by cllrs and others with downright misleading information and out right lies.

We do not accept that the Council needs to drive massive articulated lorries, containing bedding plants from Holland, into their premier heritage park, or that the £1.4 million pound bridge is necessary for health and safety reasons related to events in the park.

Wasting £1.4 million of public money
Note the start of work without planning permission
Deceiving the public and heritage lottery fund and CADW about the actual design
Misleading maps in the recent capital times
Didn't follow their own policy on green spaces and parks -
No environmental impact assessment
No waiting until after nesting season as in planning conditions
No disability equality impact assessment had been conducted in making the decision, as required under the DDA 2005

This is more greenwash and the public won't fall for it

Plaid and lib Dems or Fib Dems and Plaid lies have lost all credibility when it comes to green credentials - It is indeed the age of stupid to proceed with outdated and environmentally destructive policy.


COUNCIL 25 JUNE 2009
Amendment 2 to Motion 3
Delete all and replace:
This Council recognises that our city centre park complex, namely Bute
Park, Sophia Gardens, Pontcanna Fields and Llandaff Fields are
invaluable to our city and are recognised by everyone as treasured open
spaces.
This Council notes:
1. The decision of the Labour administration on 5th February 2004
that approved the Parks Partnership Programme and the application
for funding under the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Public Parks
Initiative for the Bute Park Restoration Project.
2. The approval by the Executive on 5th July 2007 of the Council’s
Parks and Green Spaces Strategy 2007-2012.
3. The unanimous decision of the Full Council on 27th September
2007 that agreed the provision of a new vehicular and pedestrian
access bridge for Bute Park off North Road.
4. The subsequent capital allocations for the Bute Park Restoration
Project and the new vehicular and pedestrian access bridge for
Bute Park in the Council’s Capital Budgets for 2008/09 and
2009/10.
This Council welcomes the award by the Heritage Lottery Fund of a grant
of £3.1 million towards a total budget spend of £5.6 million for the Bute
Park Restoration Project that will see:
· Restoration and repair of the Animal Wall
· Re-flooding of the Mill Leat on the western side of the castle
· Restoration and conservation of the Blackfriars Friary site
· Restoration and conservation of the West Lodge
· Development of new visitor facilities at the West Lodge
· Development of a new training / education centre at the Castle
Nursery
· Reinstatement of the Victorian Summerhouse based on the original
Burgess design
· Restoration of elements of the Victorian garden layout of Andrew
Pettigrew
· Appointment of Bute Park based Apprentices in addition to
existing horticultural apprentices
· Appointment of Bute Park based gardeners
· Provision of opportunities for work experience / work placement in
conjunction with schools, colleges and universities
· Provision of new seating, litter bins, signage and interpretation
throughout the park
This Council notes the Statement on Continuing Community Involvement
included within the Bute Park 10 Year Maintenance and Management
Plan.
This Council welcomes the intention of the Executive to open up the
North Gate of Cardiff Castle thus creating an additional pedestrian access
to Bute Park and allowing a natural pedestrian link from St Mary Street
and High Street, through Cardiff Castle and on into Bute Park.
This Council welcomes the desire to reduce the conflict between
pedestrians, cyclists and vehicles within Bute Park, to better control the
movement of vehicles within Bute Park and to significantly reduce the
number of vehicle miles travelled within Bute Park.
This Council notes that following last year’s highly successful National
Eisteddfod, the construction work involved in restoring the site is now
complete and, subject to aftercare and establishment of the area, the four
reconstructed cricket tables will be available for play during next season.
This Council notes that Glamorgan County Cricket Club have progressed
its own arrangements to facilitate media coverage for the forthcoming
Ashes Test at the Swalec Stadium.
This Council calls on the Executive to:
1. Develop proposals to encourage community involvement in the
restoration programme and the aftercare of Bute Park.
2. Not progress the proposed reconfiguration of the car park at Sophia
Gardens.
3. Continue to progress the objectives of the Council’s Parks and
Green Spaces Strategy 2007-2012.
4. Bring forward a report, within this financial year, outlining the
progress of the Parks and Green Spaces Strategy 2007-2012 for
scrutiny by the Economy and Culture Scrutiny Committee.
5. Explore opportunities for ensuring the conservation of Bute Park’s
unique horticultural and heritage features through protective
covenants.
Proposed by Councillor Nigel Howells
Seconded by Councillor Neil McEvoy