What are they doing to Bute Park?

Bute Park Clutter outside new 'education' centre gives wrong message

What are they doing in Bute Park?
This so called restoration project means this mess and clutter outside the new education centre cafe/toilets  in Bute Park  

Bute Park education centre a wash out with dodgy door

 Were cyclists consulted over the cycle rack newly built by the £920 000 "Education Centre"?  4 stands behind the bin in what was meadow next to the roadway rather than adjacent to the wall appears intended to maximise visual impact - in the Park "restoration" project which is more akin to Park "urbanisation".
Is this design of door safe? 

Plaid Mayor Delme Bowen has to drive 200 yds to listed Bute Park 

 If only they had thought of using permeable surfaces - then the 'all seasons ' cafe wouldnt be flodded. 
This cafe has the added attraction of seating just outside the toilets. 


And if you are disabled then forget trying to fight your way through to the toilets...between the tables!


Disabled people weren't consulted either.


But of course if you are Lord Mayor you need a £1.4 million bridge to be driven for the few hundred yard journey from the City Hall to the 'restoration' commercialisation project led by a project leader with a degree in geology.  


A quick dive back to the car hidden around the corner. How much did the personalised number plate cost? More than a youth club in Splott that you closed? 

Makes a run for it to avoid demonstrators 

Delme Bowen Plaid Cymru you are a disgrace to the people whos money you squander on this vehicle and driver when you could easily walk or cycle. what a white elephant that doesn't belong in any park never mind a listed one. A flooded entrance, toilets and cafe...who did design this? If only you had a proper consultation and shared the plan with public first. But then The libdems and Plaid would actually have to listen to people. 

If only they'd thought of a Permeable Surface

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