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19 July 2009
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Travel Talk

Buses on The Hayes, Cardiff These are archive messages - to air your views please visit our messageboard.

  • Roads
  • Trains
  • Buses
  • Airport
  • ULTra - automated taxi

    Anne Greagsby wants better facilities for bus passengers and pedestrians in Morganstown:

    "I travel from and back to Whitchurch in Cardiff to Ty-Nant Court, Morganstown, 3 days a week to work. I got off the 136 bus this morning from the stop nearest the Morganstown roundabout which is opposite the Pentyrch notice board. I work at the DRC in Ty Nant Court. The bus stop is in the most disgraceful filthy condition and is extremely dangerous on a blind bend with very fast traffic. There is no pavement on the bus stop side and no pedestrian crossing. The pavement on the other side of the road is filthy and covered in sand and stones, from lorries I expect. There are lighting columns in the middle of the pavement. There is no safe crossing at the roundabout and the pavement you cross to is so overgrown and dirty, it barely exists. There could be another bus stop nearer the roundabout so that people could get to the group of offices there."


    Rachel in Cardiff doesn't think the city is ready to impose road pricing:

    "Congestion charges can not be put in place in Cardiff or other areas until there is adequate functional public transport services in place, or safer footpaths and cycle paths to give people the option not to use their cars."


    Anne Greagsby in Cardiff says roadworks are causing her problems:

    "I have to get off the bus on the A470 at the roundabout before Taffs Well to work at Morganstown. My bus stop has been occupied by roadworks and no alternative arrangement provided. I have to get off at the traffic lights if the bus driver lets me and risk my life on the road or go on to Taffs Well and have a long walk back. Going home the pavement is blocked by the signs for motorists re roadworks and pedestrians are signed onto the road without any safety arrangements. Cars first and people on foot etc don't count. It is a disgrace. I don't even know who to contact. No signs to say who is doing the work or who to contact in case of problems. Not good practice."


    Jude in Creigiau feels poorly served by public transport:

    "Creigiau doesn't even have a railway! They ripped it up years ago - I am not sure why. We are only 8 miles out of the city and the nearest station is 5 miles away in Radyr, so it is not particularly cost effective to driev to Radyr then pay £2.50 to not get on a train as it is too full! They want us to stop using cars, but there are no viable alternatives. Busses often 'forget' to come to Creigiau, and are very infrequent. There is no pedestrian access in or out of the village to get to Llantrisant Road, where public transport is marginally more reliable."


    Robert Gatheridge in Cardiff responds to comments about cyclists:

    "Most cyclists do pay Vehicle Excise Duty as they own a car. A significant number of motorists don't may VED and are not insured to drive. I don't own a car but I carry 3rd party insurance and I pay for the upkeep of highways through the council tax. I also pay for children's services although I don't have any children. Pavement cycling is anti-social behaviour as is car parking on pavements and cycle lanes. Motorists also jump red lights. Sticking two fingers up to dangerous motorists isn't a good idea. Just report them to the police. They will take action. Believe me!"


    Fred Watts in Cardiff has concerns about public transport information:

    "Since Traveline Cymru has limited its Cardiff office opening hours, the service has become dreadful in the early mornings and evenings. You get people from the other end of Wales (Porthmadog), who don't seem to have even a basic grasp of knowledge of places in South Wales. When information is given out by the North Wales call centre, I have subsequently discovered it was wrong! I dread to think how bad the situation will get when the Cardiff office closes in June! What once was an excellent service has been destroyed..."

    Heledd Jones from Traveline Cymru responds:

    "I was sorry to see your message. After a lengthy tender process, it was decided to open a new call centre in Porthmadog in May. They were in training for a month before opening, which included route training across South Wales, but nothing could prepare them fully until they started answering calls.

    "They have already improved their knowledge a great deal since they began and obviously this will continue. Please note that they use the same system as was used in Cardiff, so the information would have been the same. The system they use contains a wealth of information including detailed mapping for areas that they are unsure of.

    "I hope you find that the service has already improved, but if not please do let us know our website - www.traveline-cymru.org.uk"

    The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites


    Gavin in Cardiff thinks cyclists have it far too easy:

    "I'd like to see bicycles registered and taxed and cyclists made to carry insurance. Firstly, they don't pay to use the roads, rarely adhere to the rules of the road, including traffic lights, and should one damage your car, you have to pay to repair your car yourself because you can't make an insurance claim against them."

    Steve in Newport is also concerned about cyclists:

    "In Newport we daily take our lives in our hands trying to dodge cyclists using the pavements to ride on. Don't get me wrong, I have no problem with a youngster learning to ride a two wheeler using the pavement so long as mum or dad is along side to catch them. In other words say 5-7 year olds. I have a big problem with teenagers and adults charging dowm the pavemnets at great speed and a danger to all and sundry."


    A Willliams in Cardiff fears the traffic impact of a 300-home development on the former AWE site at Llanishen:

    "If the Council was serious in its intent to reduce the use of cars on our roads, they would only approve an application for so many homes in such a small space on the basis of zero car ownership except for disabled persons ... the close proximity of the railway makes this an entirely realistic possibility. But that is not what is planned.

    "To facilitate access to and from the site there are plans for traffic lights at the junction with Caerphilly Road opposite Waun-y-Groes Road. Quite apart from the increased traffic burden that will be inevitable from so many homes if residents are permitted to have cars, congestion will be significantly worsened by the traffic lights, resulting in major difficulties for anyone using Caerphilly Road."


    Mike O'Shea in Copenhagen reckons public transport in South East Wales could be more user-friendly:

    "Our summer holiday in 2004 was based in Cardiff. Using trains and buses to visit Penarth and Barry was an eyeopener in many ways but mostly negative.

    "Having to carry the exact fare each time was wearing holes in my pockets and figuring out which bus/train to take was not easy. Bad road surfaces and train tracks combined with clapped out vehicles put a strain both body and soul!"


    Bobby Trippe from Blackwood thinks something needs to be done about motorised scooters:

    "Are the police doing anything to tackle the problem of people riding unlicensed, uninsured scooters?

    "I recently had a near miss with one of these contraptions. The youth riding it along the pavement was totally unaware of my presence when he pulled off the pavement without looking, straight into the path of an oncoming vehicle.

    "Needless to say he was not wearing a helmet. When the driver honked his horn, the youth indicated his annoyance with his middle finger and a stream of unprintable language.

    "Something must be done about this problem - these scooters are a menace to road users and pedestrians alike."


    Carolyn Ryan in Cardiff wants to see safer routes for cyclists in the city:

    "I avoid cycling, simply because of this issue. My husband cycles regularly and often resorts to sticking two fingers up to dangerous drivers. Clearly not enough is being done to redress the balance, more in favour of cyclists.

    "Apart from the obvious health and environmental benefits, extending the safe space and reinforcing these issues with drivers, would enable many would be cyclists, particularly women and children on the school run. Why can't we be more like the other European cities that takes this seriously, e.g. Amsterdam?"


    Deborah Westgate in Stonehouse, Gloucestershire, warns holidaymakers to check their passports:

    "Travel agents should point out when you book a holiday that the expiry date on your passport is not acceptable in many countries. It is actually six months prior to this. We did not miss the holiday but my daughter had to take a day off of work and pay twice the price of a normal passport for the privilege of getting it sorted on the day."

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