While cycling continues to prove an increasingly popular way to get around there has also been an increase in danger. British Cycling, the national governing body for cycling now boasts over 166,000 members - a threefold increase in membership since the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. With increased cycle traffic on rural roads, often when people move there from urban areas, comes … [Read more...]
Bill for aborted M4 Relief Road soars to £157M
The bill for scrapping the M4 Relief Road has soared to £157Million. The updated cost now includes 29 houses bought under compulsory purchase orders – including two valued at about £1Million just months before the scheme was axed – because they were on the line of the aborted project. A Freedom of Information request by the Welsh Conservatives on the now defunct M4 Relief Road scheme has found … [Read more...]
Roads, pollution and fuels focus fleet minds, says Arval Mobility report
Road infrastructure, Clean Air Zones and the adoption of alternative fuels top the list of challenges reported by fleet and mobility managers over the next five years. The finding comes from authoritative new research in the Arval Mobility Observatory, which gains insight from businesses via a wide ranging set of questions to uncover broader trends and concerns. When asked, “What do you see as … [Read more...]
Public transport and tolls key to easing M4 jams
Only a massive shake-up in public transport will relieve M4 congestion around Newport, is the preliminary finding of the South East Wales Transport Commission, but it also hints at road charging congestion tolls to deter peak time users. The report’s findings follow detailed analysis work and stakeholder engagement after it was set up by Welsh Government when First Minister Mark Drakeford … [Read more...]
Newslines 6 July
Wales 5-miles guidance on travel during the lockdown ends today. In a bid to help tourism, self-contained accommodation can reopen but not hotels or guest houses and only takeaways and restaurants with outside dining can operate at the moment in Wales before restricted opening of pubs and clubs is allowed. The Financial Conduct Authority in Britain is proposing an October extension to the … [Read more...]
Opening the throttle for the love of riding and Wales
A keen motorcyclist has turned her love of Wales into a new business and is ready to open the throttle after lockdown. Born and brought up in Yugoslavia, Maja Kenney has always loved travelling and after hitching and cycling across much of Western Europe she came to Britain and set up an office administrations service business in Wales. In 2016 Maja bought her first motorcycle, passed … [Read more...]
Newslines 30 June
About 10M cars are expected to hit UK roads at the weekend and head off for getaways, despite facing £60 FPN fines in Wales. Travel restrictions will be lifted in England but not Wales and the RAC says it expects a spike in breakdown calls and urges motorists to check over their cars this week before travelling. Carbon dioxide emissions from new cars in Europe rose for a third year running in … [Read more...]
Lockdown seems to have improved air quality
The overwhelming majority of drivers have noticed a positive improvement in local air quality according to a survey into driver attitudes and behaviours during lockdown. The survey by nationwide electric car charge point installer Smart Home Charge, found almost all respondents noticed less congestion and noise pollution(99.3% and 88.3% respectively), with 98.3% agreeing that electric cars would … [Read more...]
Welsh ratepayers want better roads to reduce stress
Potholes continue to cause despair and anger for motorists up and down the land, with these menaces costing British car owners £4bn in repair bills annually. Such is the gravity of people wishing to see the back of them, the government announced a £2.5bn fund to tackle the issue during the latest Budget, whilst councils have been using the lockdown period to ramp up their pothole filling … [Read more...]
Cyclists get better protection, motorists face fines
New powers have been granted to local councils to enforce cycle lanes – but do you know your road markings? Ignorance of the law is no defence, so with new bicycle facilities popping up all over our towns and cities at the moment, as cycling is encouraged to ease pressure on public transport during the Coronavirus pandemic, it is now more important than ever to know where and when you can … [Read more...]