Random Stuff!!

[Jerry]

it Was reported multiple times by the media. The Ineos decision was influenced by the M4 relief road scrapping.

working from home won’t fix the tunnels. There’s only so far that can take you.

I'm sure many in media linked it to that as the issue generates clicks doesn't make it true. More people working from home means less traffic on the road so no need for a relief road. The money can be put to better use.
As for the WG screwing up, governments do that and if we don't think they are doing a good enoiugh job then we vote them out.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Wasn't there a referendum for English regions to have devolved assemblies/parliaments?

North-East England had a referendum some years ago re a regional assembly that was rejected overwhelmingly. I would have voted against that had I been a North-East resident because the assembly would have been no more than a glorified county council, not a body with the powers and status of the Welsh Government and still less that of Scotland's. The UK Labour Government of the day gave up on the idea of English regional assemblies after that.

The Westminster Government is now trying a different approach with combined authorities in some areas. The former county of Avon area which is now made up of four unitary authorities - Bristol (which regained its county status following Avon's abolition in 1996 after 22 unloved years in existence); North Somerset; Bath & North East Somerset; South Gloucestershire - is now part of the West of England Combined Authority (Weca) territory, except it isn't because North Somerset opted out of Weca despite being intricately connected with the other three former Avon area authorities and will still directly or indirectly benefit from some things that Weca manages to do.

Weca has its own elected mayor which means that Bristol has three mayors (the elected city mayor, Labour; the elected Weca mayor, Conservative; the ceremonial Lord Mayor). Weca has responsibility for transport amongst other things, but so does the city mayor, and Weca has an enormous budget of just over £30 million a year which just about sums up its relevance when it comes to funding major projects.

If the UK is in a mess with devolution so too are many of the local constituent bodies within the one Home Nation that does not have a devolved government.

 

[Jerry]

Weca has its own elected mayor which means that Bristol has three mayors (the elected city mayor, Labour; the elected Weca mayor, Conservative; the ceremonial Lord Mayor). Weca has responsibility for transport amongst other things, but so does the city mayor, and Weca has an enormous budget of just over £30 million a year which just about sums up its relevance when it comes to funding major projects.

That does sound a complete mess, surely one regional mayor for the south west would be much simpler but maybe the problem is that Westminster would have to give up too much power then. This current government doesn't like to do that and only seems to be interested in devolution in England in certian areas ie the north of England where maybe they see it as a vote winner?

 

[superking]

Why dont they dig 2 tunnels along side what is already there. It has to be cheaper to do that than build a complete new road.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

That does sound a complete mess, surely one regional mayor for the south west would be much simpler but maybe the problem is that Westminster would have to give up too much power then. This current government doesn't like to do that and only seems to be interested in devolution in England in certian areas ie the north of England where maybe they see it as a vote winner?

Who knows what their reasons are? They are politicians.

We haven't heard much recently about the so-called Great Western Powerhouse. Although not a formal elected body in itself it would still depend on co-operation between elected bodies in both South Wales and the West of England.

Would it really work? I need some persuading that it would. If a multi-national corporation was seeking to relocate its headquarters to the Severnside area would Bristol stand back and say to Cardiff, "You have this one", or would Cardiff say to Bristol, "No, you have it. We had the last one".

We already know that the respective airports, understandably, try to fight their own corner when it comes to the other.

 

[superking]

I see Cardiff, Llanelli and Swansea have got full lock down from saturday 6pm, and would think all points in between. Its stay at home unless a good excuse.Why dont they just make all of South Wales lockdown and with that every body will know what they are doing.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

I'm sure many in media linked it to that as the issue generates clicks doesn't make it true. More people working from home means less traffic on the road so no need for a relief road. The money can be put to better use.
As for the WG screwing up, governments do that and if we don't think they are doing a good enoiugh job then we vote them out.

Not everyone who might be driving on the road can work from home. There will be a slight reduction in traffic but certainly won’t eliminate the Problem of the brynglas tunnels.

sadly, Wales seems to be the only country where even though the ruling party consistently Fails to deliver, people still vote for them. The mind boggles.

 

[Jerry]

Plaid Cymru today have released the report of their Independence Commision which obviously is about Welsh independence and the road to independence.
This link requires signing up towards it.

Independence Commission

www.independencecommission.wales

This is the Facebook video presentation of it

Facebook

www.facebook.com

It can also be purchased in book form i'm told.
I've only started reading it and so far the only parts which could be considered relevant to Cardiff Airport in having a particular use rather than just general boosting of passenger numbers that i can see is the point below.

"5. A Plaid Cymru Government should examine the scope for reaching agreement with the European Commission to enable specified products from Wales to have unfettered access to the Single Market. An inspectorate could be established to certify that products of Welsh companies participating in the scheme complied fully with EU regulations. A further possibility would be to establish a port which would export only goods in this category and where entry to the EU would be allowed without formalities."
The part i highlighted in whether in the future Cardiff Airport could be an option for this in exporting specific goods by air frieght to the EU.

 

[Jerry]

Not everyone who might be driving on the road can work from home. There will be a slight reduction in traffic but certainly won’t eliminate the Problem of the brynglas tunnels.

In which other solutions can be implemented other than the building of a 14 mile stretch of motorway through environmentally sensitive landscape. Other solutions can be the finishing of the A465 Heads of the Valleys expansion works on the stretch from Dowlais to Hirwaun and it sign posted as the preferable route for traffic from the English midlands to western Wales. The expansion of the A48 SDR route in Newport into a proper dual carriageway ring road. Better public transport for the whole area. Changing and expanding the junctions in the vicinty of the tunnels. Brexit will help with less Irish and European lorries transiting to and from Ireland to Europe as they expand their direct options by sea.

sadly, Wales seems to be the only country where even though the ruling party consistently Fails to deliver, people still vote for them. The mind boggles.

Wales and Labour have been very much culturally tied together, but Labour are losing their dominant position in Wales bit by bit with both Plaid and the Tories predicted to make gains in the Senedd elections and no one being able to form a majority government and Plaid at least have ruled out a coalition.

I see Cardiff, Llanelli and Swansea have got full lock down from saturday 6pm, and would think all points in between. Its stay at home unless a good excuse.Why dont they just make all of South Wales lockdown and with that every body will know what they are doing.

Because it's now more each local authority making the decisions, if it was WG i'd imagine they'd put the whole country into lockdown which might not be a bad idea but i'd imagine upset Westminster.

Would it really work? I need some persuading that it would. If a multi-national corporation was seeking to relocate its headquarters to the Severnside area would Bristol stand back and say to Cardiff, "You have this one", or would Cardiff say to Bristol, "No, you have it. We had the last one".

We already know that the respective airports, understandably, try to fight their own corner when it comes to the other.

Yeah i can't see that working any western powerhouse would really have to exclude southern Wales as i can imagine the reaction if it gave up investment and job potential to Bristol.

 

[aviatorconcorde]

So if other solutions can be implemented with regards to the M4 relief road - why aren’t the Welsh Government carrying out these projects? Again, shear incompetence and failure by the organisation.

 

[Jerry]

So if other solutions can be implemented with regards to the M4 relief road - why aren’t the Welsh Government carrying out these projects? Again, shear incompetence and failure by the organisation.

If i remember correctly they set up a commision or report into it. That's probably ongoing or suspended becuase of corona virus. And things like road projects don't happen overnight. Especially with regards to funding.

 

[Jerry]

Wales considers coronavirus quarantines for some visitors from England

People visiting from coronavirus hotspots in England might have to self-isolate for two weeks if they visit Wales

www.walesonline.co.uk

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Wales considers coronavirus quarantines for some visitors from England

People visiting from coronavirus hotspots in England might have to self-isolate for two weeks if they visit Wales

www.walesonline.co.uk

I wonder if such a move would apply to people who live in Manchester who travel to North Wales each day to their place of work.

Because of the different regulations in the various Home Nations, and indeed different regulations within parts of those countries, I'm not sure whether people living within the hotspots in Wales are allowed to travel out of them to work, including travelling into England for such a purpose. Many people commute normally daily from South East Wales into Bristol not least because many of them moved house in recent years to take advantage of lower house prices.

The minister says that it would be ok for people from Devon to visit Wales because of the relatively low incidence of infections there (or indeed I suppose South West England as a whole although the infection rate is beginning to grow there as it is everywhere else).

Targeted restrictions based on area are fine in one sense but the situation then becomes complicated for people to remember, if they ever knew or understood in the first place.

 

[Jerry]

I wonder if such a move would apply to people who live in Manchester who travel to North Wales each day to their place of work.

If its for work that can't be done from home it'll be classed as necessary travel and that's the key part necessary travel. Is it necessary for someone from a virus hotspot in England to be travelling to Wales for a day out or holiday? That's what they are trying to discourage and essentially get people to stay local.

 

[TheLocalYokel]

If its for work that can't be done from home it'll be classed as necessary travel and that's the key part necessary travel. Is it necessary for someone from a virus hotspot in England to be travelling to Wales for a day out or holiday? That's what they are trying to discourage and essentially get people to stay local.

Unless the UK government on behalf England bans travel from English hotspots it seems that the only way to prevent unwanted travellers from England entering Wales is for the Welsh Government to bring in a quarantine. In practice it would probably mean most people from these hotspots would not bother to travel to Wales or if they did, perhaps because they were unaware of the need to quarantine, they would probably drive straight back to England once informed.

 

[Jerry]

Seems Mr Calder occured the wrath of Welsh social media for saying people should visit Wales.

Travel writer Simon Calder has 'no further plans' to visit Wales after abuse

Simon Calder had described areas of mid and north Wales as his "absolute top tip" for a visit.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Seems Mr Calder occured the wrath of Welsh social media for saying people should visit Wales.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales...NbI3_3NpSfA5qnfB44m--xHfUbeOoL8qxbaPM-fnVgCPw

Good news for the people of Wales by the sound of it - Mr Calder will not be booking a holiday in Wales.

 

[mathers_wales_uk]

The guy is irresponsible. He always seems to join the have a jibe at Cardiff Airport brigade too.

 

[Jerry]

Could make Cardiff more attractive as a city break destination?

Cardiff canal dock feeder plan to boost carbon neutral bid

The council says the restoration of the waterway will help make Cardiff carbon neutral by 2030.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[TheLocalYokel]

Covid: Wales to ban people coming from UK hotspots

People from areas with high coronavirus rates will be banned from travelling to Wales from Friday.

www.bbc.co.uk

The First Minister says he will ban visitors from high risk areas in England and Scotland from entering Wales as of this Friday. The linked BBC report says it is not clear whether this includes essential travel such as entering Wales from those parts of England and Scotland for work.

I believe that in the high risk areas of Wales the WG allows people to leave for such such things as work and education, including presumably travelling into England for such purposes.

Tensions appear to be rising with some politicians condemning some of the language being used.