From 2800 to Zero

In 2007 we had in the region of 2800 vehicles driving through Chester Rd every day even though we had a bypass.

Two thirds were breaking the 30 mph speed limit.

Next Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday there will be zero vehicles driving through Chester Rd as the road will be shut whilst the traffic calming platform is laid.

So from next Thursday onwards, no more buses, lorries, bikers or cars hammering along Chester Rd.

A safer place for children and residents.

In my opinion a big day for Chester Rd environment.

To those that are not happy I say use the bypass.

I will do a roll call of those who have helped along the way once the black stuff is down.

Quiet rural roads face 40mph limits

Link http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/news/9399135/Quiet-rural-roads-face-40mph-limits.html

In my opinion an excellent move.

Good news for Lower Mountain Rd?

Will Wales follow?

Thank you to Gosafe

For protecting Chester Rd community against danger and noise. This morning's positioning of the van will catch a few. More would be caught if drivers did not warn one another.
My argument being that if serial speeding drivers are caught more quickly they have less chance of killing or seriously injuring people. When you get six points on your license it's wake up time. That's except for the idiots of course.

HGV Short Cut Watch

You protest to have a bypass built then let HGV use the village as a short cut.
This in my opinion is part of the Tom Jones Way.

Alan Skips and Hollingsworth Bros currently are using the village as a short cut.
Is it 20, 30, 40 or 50 vehicles a day?

Hanson Cement and their contractors do NOT use the village  as a short cut.

Cllr David Williams is the only previous cllr to bring up this issue.
Cllr Clive Weed mentioned HGV on his election literature

Deeside Metals in my opinion are a major short cutter through the village.
It's hard to tell though as they have no identification on their vehicles.

Vehicle Noise

At last some common sense in Walesonline

Rich Speeders

Read in The Cynical Tendency

Realities and Statistics

Earlier this week I went to Shire Hall at the invitation of Council Leader Arnold Woolley. I have had an occasional email exchange with Arnold after I went "Nuclear" over my FOIE for traffic data for Chester Rd chucked in the bin for the 5th time. I emailed every county councillor and county council boss whose email's I had stored up to say they were breaking FOIE law.

Thursday's meeting was frustrating for me. For one thing Arnold plays Devil's Advocate asking searching questions to both sides. On the other side you get an FCC officer quoting daily average speeds of 28mph for Chester Rd. Saying that Chester Rd is no different to many other roads in Flintshire. Lisa was very good, I feel she will make a good councillor. Lisa asked very pertinent to the point questions.

One of the statistics is that Chester Rd has over 800 vehicles each day that are doing more than 30 mph. For me increasing speed as vehicles put their foot down starting at the Post Office towards the limit is one of the main issues. It cuts like a knife, so I stay away from the road.

The statistics and the actuality in my opinion differ greatly.

Some Penyffordd councillors have some sympathies towards the predicament of myself and others in Chester Rd. Others take the attitude that we should just go away.

There is perhaps some light at the end of the tunnel. There is possibility of extending the 30 mph. As we have a bypass I can't see why we can't be allowed to follow the model of Rossett village centre. Compulsory 20mph with road bumps. That however is another matter.

This does not I think go along with Derek Kirby's plan for Chester Rd. Derek is Head of Strategy for Flintshire roads. There are I think maybe one or two councillors in Penyffordd who are aware of what I perceive to be Derek's plans. That Chester Rd should remain an unofficial trunk road. Traffic leaving the new A55 Warren Bank exit will be heading straight through the middle of the village instead of using the bypass.

Now that I have FCC woken up on FOIE's perhaps a few more need to be made.

Lots vehicle from North of Chester to John O'Groats in Scotland who wishes to visit or return from Mid Wales will be looking to use Chester Rd/Corwen Rd as a short cut.

Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom has left the building

In the Daily Post "Yesterday Eric Evans, who served for nine years as deputy chief constable, made an outspoken attack.

He said: “Mr Brunstrom’s remarks regarding the policing of North Wales and the manner of dealing with serious crime and criminals is deeply insulting and an affront to North Wales police officers of all ranks who were serving before he was appointed as chief constable.

“At least now with his retirement the force will have the opportunity to come out of what has been a dark period of policing in North Wales, and the force can start once again to provide proper policing for the community rather than concentrate on target figures which have little relevance to the public.”

Link The Daily Post

Chief Constable Richard Brunstron carried out an audit of Penyffordd with councillors in tow. What he pointed out and solutions to be made was very good but he "forgot" the near 2000 vehicles speeding (circa 2007) through the village each day.

What is required in is North Wales Police accountability in communities not just the facade.

The proof of this continuing unaccountability is the refusal of NWP to have a proper forum for debate. NWP currently refuse to acknowledge that speeding is even an issue in Penyffordd on their website.

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An email to North Wales Police Authority Chairman Cllr Ian Roberts (Chirk) - New Chief Constable

Dear Cllr Roberts,

Good morning.

One hopes that the new Chief Constable will not be able to dodge speeding issues in communities.

Also to be faced the eradication of North Wales as a race track by motorcycles and vehicles.

They are a deadly pestilence to our environment.

One should be able to hear buzzards in the skies of North Wales not 100's of motorcycles racing with illegal exhausts

(uninsured) three miles away.

One hopes that the WAG will back the new Chief Constable to the hilt on the above issues.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

Link Policing Pledge

Support in The Leader letters page

Click image to read

You will see similarities to Chester Rd here. Councillors and North Wales Police of no practical use.

This letter on the short comings of North Wales Police from my perspective

Which was published yesterday in The Leader.

Thank you Leader.

Dear Leader

A letter for consideration

In your article " North Wales Police call in extra officers at Treuddyn blackspot" it is stated that 10,000 motorcycle riders can pass through Treuddyn in a weekend. Whilst behaviour by motorcyclists visiting North Wales is improving there is still a substantial element who import extreme danger and unacceptable levels of noise. Is it not time for North Wales Police to throw down the gauntlet and apply the law? Why do we who live near the A5104 have to put with this constant flagrant breeches of law. North Wales should be a green and pleasant land and not a race track. I and other law abiding citizens pay our rates and expect North Wales Police to do their job.

Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

Still no law and order in Chester Rd

1000 + speeders everyday

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I presume they used Hugh Jones' little magic box to count the motorcyclists.
Hugh Jones is a Road safety Officer for Flintshire County Council.
Postscript. North Wales Police made the figure up that was very wide of the mark and makes them look silly.

I wrote the above letter after a day clearing the shed and listening to regular weekend traffic hammering through Chester Rd. Also the other week end it sounded as if we were next to Oulton Park with the noise coming off the bypass as many 100's of motorcycle's with illegal exhausts flew down the bypass. You cannot hear the noise of a legal motorcycle which is travelling along the bypass.

Will anybody write a letter for or against my issues. We have too much apathy in this country.

HGV's through Penyffordd

Whilst I'm in rant mode and I might get a few extra lookers at the blog ( I had 97 the other day).
Why are HGV's allowed through the village when we have a bypass?

a. Is it because councillors do not care?
b. Have Penyffordd councillors had/have some secret arrangement with Flintshire County Council?

Councillors have been patting themselves on the back for years over the daffodils they have arranged to be planted whilst we have had wholesale speeding through the village and being a shortcut for HGV's.

Is the sense of priorities a little awry?
Daffodils before village safety.

poscript: It must be said that we do have some good councillors in the village, some councillors may develop into better councillors.

Farewell 2008

As I sit here looking at the effects of Global Warming (ice and fog) I say goodbye to 2008. What of 2009? It would be good to see progress on Penyffordd village environment issues, ie. the stopping of the village centre being a race track. I will not be holding my breath though.

Traffic through village centre currently near 3000.
It will of course rise and rise.

Will Airbus feel the credit crunch?
When Boeing went into full production of the Jumbo Jet in the early 70's in the face of a recession they were within 2 months of going bankrupt.
Airbus one supposes has the deep (getting shallower) pockets of government behind it?

Quality of Life Penyffordd

In the Evening Leader tonight an article on Flintshire County quality of life, also a section on have your say.
So I have fired off two letters to The Leader

Link The Leader

Letter 1

Dear Leader

A letter for possible publication.

Re Flintshire County Folk enjoy the good life.

Quality of life in the middle of Penyffordd is very poor. We have over a 1000 speeding vehicles everyday. We have illegal exhausts by the 100. We are used as a rat run.
HGV's come through the village all day even though we have a by-pass. The speeding produces a very noisy environment. No one will do anything about it. The authorities who gathered the statistics did not come to Penyffordd

Perhaps Cllr Tony Sharps would care to meet me for a site meeting one morning, bacon butties and a mug of tea provided for free.

regards Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

Letter 2

Hi Leader

A further letter for consideration.

You ask in your article on the good life how quality of life can be improved. Here in Penyffordd quality of life could be improved

by banning HGV's as we have a bypass. We get 100's a day.

Traffic calming to slow down the 1000+ speeders that we have flying

through our village centre each day. An even bigger improvement

would be the banning of through traffic to the Penyffordd by-pass.

regards Colin Hughes

Penyffordd District

Hope quarry plans rejected by Flintshire planners

Flintshire villagers are celebrating today after plans to re-open a massive quarry near Wrexham were thrown out.

The controversial proposals would have seen the disused sand and gravel quarry at Fagl Lane, Hope, opened again after four years.

Link The Evening Leader

Postscript. The people of Penyffordd, Hope and Caergwrle owe Cllr Stella Jones a big thank you for her efforts to stop this planning application.

Further Postscript

Hope Councillor Tim Newhouse put his written objections to the quarry in his report to the Flintshire Planning Committee.

This decision thankfully overturned Cliff Shone's vote FOR the quarry in 2002.

More Lorries for Chester Rd Penyffordd

Have your say in The Evening Leader

in The Daily Post, the re-opening of Fagl Lane quarry, Hope.

On the BBC NE Wales website its says:
Ian Redhead from Hope
I would like to get the views of local Hope residents about the application to re-open Fagl Lane Sand and Gravel Quarry and to extract 300,000 tonnes annually for 11 years which means 120 lorries a day using Fagl Lane and its link roads for over a decade if this application is approved.I will be writing to lodge my objections on the grounds of safey, noise and dust/pollution.

keyword: Google Maps

Warren Hall Pre Amble by Charles Hughes and Derek Kirby

Warren Hall Business Park will saturate the village of Penyffordd even though we have Penyffordd By Pass.

In the last week or two Flintshire Highways have organized a little meet with Penyffordd councillors. It now turns out that Cllr Linda Vidamour and Cllr David Williams were on holiday.

Why have pre meets? Is this to try smooth the way with councillors so that its fine to have all this extra traffic short cutting through the village with no speed restrictions. To try to get councillors to persuade us stupid villagers that all this extra traffic will not make any difference at all.

As far as I can see Cllr Colin Bithell has stood by whilst Airbus and Broughton Park planning applications went through smoothly with no arguments from Penyffordd about the massive traffic increases.

We now have Warren Hall Business Park before us.

Then we have the new A55 Warren Hall exit to be built, Broughton Park extension to be built, perhaps 300 houses at The White Lion site Penymynydd then we have Saltney shopping park.
Wrexham UDP housing requirement will also add greatly to our traffic, it already does.

All this will add massively to Chester Rd Penyffordd traffic

Loud noise and speeding vehicles it must be Friday teatime

I've just sent off a missive to Cllr Tom Jones. I explained to him that his and Colin Bithell's legacy to the village is a village centre that is an environmental hell hole.
Every other car racing through the village with loud exhausts. A motorcycle doing 80 mph showing off to his mates outside the Penyffordd British Legion, with the modern fashion accessory a very loud illegal exhaust.

They have sat in the Penyffordd Institute each month with cars speeding passed, they oblivious.
I've told him his block vote in the last local elections a disgrace.

Flintshire County Council's current plans for Chester Rd is two or three times more vehicles.

They are a disgrace.

Carl Longland the new Director for Environment Flintshire County Council

cc Cllr Arnold Woolley, Cllr Patrick Heesom.

Hi Carl

Congratulations on your new position with Flintshire County Council

as Director of Environment. I've been looking at this website that appears to have been set up by your new boss Chief Executive Colin Everett.

Click here

Its entitled " In Flintshire we call it getting things done". (except for village environment)

On the website there are details of you terms of reference.

Click here. Click on job reference (pdf)

I've had a good look through.

Its full of good stuff (guff) like this

1. Corporate Management & Leadership

Contribute to setting the corporate strategic agenda through leadership, forward planning, management and overall delivery of the Corporate Strategy to deliver positive outcomes for communities in Flintshire. As part of the corporate management, team ensure that corporate governance arrangements are developed, maintained and adhered to across the Council.Ensure corporate strategies, policies and procedures are effectively and consistently implemented across the council.
All fine words but part of another universe, not reality.
A good look through the above shows that your job has very little to do with village environment.This shows in the currect status of Chester Rd Penyffordd which is a noisy rat run for 100's of cars,  lorries and buses. Flintshire County Council website front page gives the impression of a rural county. Underneath environment wise it is rotten to the core in places like Chester Rd Penyffordd. 3000 vehicles a day even though we have a by pass. The place is lawless North Wales Police have given up on speeding traffic and illegal exhausts. They seem rather too close to Airbus corporate wise.
Flintshire Highways are hiding traffic data that shows how crap the place really is.You will be having a challenge in your new position in this third world county. Good luck. I will be in touch when you start in September
regards Colin Hughes
Penyffordd District

postcript 2010. Little change in the above

Chester Rd Penyffordd Traffic update

If you want to know what drove me to spend £140 of my money on wrecking election leaflets and untold hours on research visit me on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon. The traffic just flying through Chester Rd.

I've emailed the great and the good explaining that if I had a gun I would shoot a few as examples.
I've been waiting for North Wales Police to come around.

I'm quite happy to be arrested. I no longer need a CV.

keyword: lowlife, scum, anti social behaviour

Do we need regime change at North Wales Police and Arrive Alive?

On Friday we have the Penyffordd and District Police Forum. I'm not going because after a year of speeding traffic it was taken off the agenda with no real effort to stop it.

I still have over 200 + vehicles of all varieties speeding passed my house every morning which is a major route to school. The police have the data but just sit on their hands. North Wales Police are acting in a manner that is unaccountable to the residents of Chester Rd Penyffordd.

Both North Wales Police and Arrive Alive are not fit for purpose with regards our rat run in Penyffordd. North Wales Police will not back an HGV ban their current position on this with regards community policing a disgrace.

Still over 1500 vehicles speeding through the village everyday

keywords. Inspector Alun Oldfield, Chief Superintendent Ruth Purdie, Chief Constable Richard Brunstrom.