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2011-04
Another Avoidable Deep Water Fatal Accident
On 20th April 2011, a car crashed off the B4518 into the deep waters of Llyn Clywedog. The female driver managed to escape from the car, but four other people, including 2 children, did not. Their bodies had to be recovered by divers.
The reservoir is protected by a solid wall around most of the bend, but the wall ends before the bend does, and it was here that the car crashed off the road. 10m of crash barrier would have prevented it. The ABD is concerned that the danger posed by deep water alongside roads is not fully appreciated by local authorities. A similar fatal accident is said to have occurred here some 10 years before, and in 2003 a woman and her three children died in similar circumstances in Suffolk.


2009-08-01
Advance Signs of Council Stupidity
Here is a classic example of council stupidity at Llanerfyl (SJ 031 098), courtesy of the BBC and/or CPRW:—
Look at the photo, reproduced from: Call to drive out 'road clutter'

Firstly, the countdown boards don't need to be there. The 40 signs are perfectly visible from a distance so the countdown boards serve no purpose. Such boards are useful where limit signs are hidden around a bend, but here, as CPRW say, they are just a mess. From this position, one of the countdown boards even partially obscures one of the speed limit signs!

Secondly, look at the side road that goes off to the left immediately after the 40 signs. There are two NSLA signs at the start of it. So drivers turning off the main road onto the side road are expected to slow to 40mph for just 10 metres, but can then go back to 60mph? How utterly clueless is that? If the council had started the 40 limit on the other side of the side road this daft situation would have been avoided, and they wouldn't have needed the extra two signposts — and four signs — at all. A totally pointless waste of public money by incompetent fools.
 
 
2007-06-08
Green Guru Invades Powys — In His Car
Green campaigner George Monbiot has single-handedly invaded Powys — in his car.
Mr Monbiot, a long time environmentalist, anti-car campaigner, and Guardian columnist, recently moved from Oxford to Machynlleth. On discovering the poorer provision of public transport he decided he needed a car to get around. I'm sorry did we say a car? Are we sure? Isn't this the guy who described us car drivers as "antisocial bastards"? Couldn't he have bought a horse and cart?
His car of choice is a second hand Renault Clio, prompting Jeremy Clarkson to say:
"I just hope the bonnet doesn’t fly up because he’ll be killed — then where would the world be?"
Monbiot told The Times:
"I still feel pretty awful about it. The car is a last resort and I haven’t even used a tank of petrol yet."
(The Clio is in fact a diesel.)
 
Croeso y Machynlleth
(namyn George Monbiot)
             
Having arrived in Machynlleth, Monbiot has been unable to resist his favourite oocupation — sticking his nose in where it isn't wanted. He has decided that Machynlleth needs speed cameras (apparently local people were incapable of realising that before he turned up).
He has also said that despite his new car purchase, he still believes there is no excuse for buying a 4x4 — an opinion which should make him very popular in rural Wales.
We're sure that the people of Machynlleth will make him feel very welcome.


This inappropriate 40 mph limit near Forden between Welshpool and Montgomery is typical of the way many local authorities are abusing speed limits. Imposing such unnecessarily low limits on what is basically a rural road serves only to incite contempt for speed limits where they are really needed.
 
2007-03-23
We're Not Telling You
Mid and South Wales Safety Camera Partnership are refusing to say how much money they make from each speed camera. The information was requested by the Evening Post after the Thames Valley Partnership were ordered by the Information Commisioner to release such information.
MSWSCP are obviously worried that the amount of money raised by those speed cameras which do nothing to reduce accidents would expose their little racket.
2006-06-22
Anti-Car Nonsense Hits Brecon
Following the construction of the Brecon inner relief road, Powys County Council decided to use it as an excuse to impose anti-car measures on the town in the form of closing Bulwark to all but PCVs (Politically Correct Vehicles). This has resulted in a loss of trade to many businesses. As usual, the council refuse to listen to anyone. The new road took through traffic away from the town centre anyway, there was absolutely no justification to close Bulwark. 2004-01-24
'Intimidatory Policing' Threatens Rally
Max Molsey. President of the FIA, warned that the World Rally Championship could be moved from Wales because of what drivers have called "intimidatory policing". As a result the Wales Rally GB only had a provisional date in the 2004 calendar. During the Monte Carlo Rally, Mosley spoke with many drivers who told him about the way they had been treated by the police.
"It's as though the police in Wales did not want the rally to be there and were doing everything they could to make the competitors feel unwelcome and uncomfortable."

Rally Drivers Exploited by Police
Four top rally drivers, including Briton Kris Meeke, were given driving bans after being caught by some of South Wales finest during the 2002 rally. Others including Colin McRae and Richard Burns have been fined.
BBC — Rally stars given driving bans
The simple question we need to ask is this: If these drivers constitute such a hazard that they need to be banned from our roads in order to protect the general public, then why did the authorities delay prosecution for 12 months, in the full knowledge that to do so would lead to them returning and covering around a thousand miles on Welsh roads at this year's event?
If this were really about road safety then surely they would have ensured that the cases were heard BEFORE this year's event. The only resason for waiting was to create a publicity opportunity — by deliberately and cynically waiting until after the rally to prosecute en mass, the powers that be could be sure of the full attention of the world's press. In all truth any bans imposed will now have no real effect on any of the drivers, and proves beyond all doubt that this is all just about money.

 
 
Volunteers Reduce Car Crime
A car park watch scheme which relies on volunteers and is backed by Dyfed-Powys Police has succeeded in reducing car crime by 50%.
BBC — Car crime slashed in Beacons
 
 
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