St Davids 2 development - Time to Protest
The current plans up for public comment
would block off cross-city cycling routes so contradict cycle-promotion strategies.Now is the time to object!
# detrimental to cycling – worsens conditions for cycling through the city centre, contrary to policy
# destroys the E-W and N-S cycling routes through the city centre, routes in the Council’s own strategy
# destroys the cycle link via Hayes Bridge Rd to The Hayes, that the Council only recently created
# forces cyclists onto highly-trafficked roads with cyclist-hostile multilanes and complex junctions
# deters less confident cyclists from coming into the city centre, so counters increased cycling policy.
# impedes movement of disabled persons by cycle through the centre (Disability Discrimination Act)
The Cycling Campaign tried to be constructive, proposing to keep the Hayes Bridge St cycling route open and use Hills Street and Barrack Lane behind the outdoor Market to substitute for the blocked-off Bridge St. But the Plans have ignored us.Now with the final detail is the time to dig in – let’s tell them cyclists refuse to accept road and route closures unless and until changes are made to ensure no detriment to cycling.
The website http://www.stdavids2.com/ claims that the developer Capital Shopping Centres plc has expertise in "working in close co-operation with everyone involved – the local authority, the retailers and the community as a whole – to provide the right solution for each location." Evidently not in Cardiff.
Though the Lib-Dems took over in Cardiff after the 2003 decision, their Councillors seem scared of changing the original ‘Goodway’ decision that " the design would be to prevent cycling in pedestrian areas". Are they frightened of the financial backers - Land Securities, a FTSE 100 company – if they dared alter the terms of the original agreement?
CCC cannot accept that decision. We urge all our supporters to object and shall use our legal rights to require the scheme is changed. CCC campaigned in 2003 for maintaining cycling routes through the city centre and for "pedestrian" areas to be replaced by "vehicle restricted" areas. We are supported by general policy.
Tabernacl Baptist Church on The Hayes
The Tabernacl Minister, Denzil John, wrote to support us, saying some of their members cycle to the church meetings and would be interested to share information.
He adds that the Church faces a difficulty with regard to access and egress from the car park behind the chapel building. "Our suggestion to meet our own needs would be a single lane access along the 100 yards along Mill Lane, which would only impact the pedestrianisation during the 20 minutes before and after services. We have lobbied many officers and members of the Authority and spoken many times to the developers, but to no real avail."
The Cycling Campaign considers the Plans are a disgrace. They would prohibit cycling throughout the proposed pedestrian areas, providing cycle parking on the periphery of pedestrian areas. Existing cycle stands in Working Street, Hills Terrace and The Hayes may be removed during repaving works and not replaced. The designers force us to pass through complex traffic junctions, and praise themselves for including advanced stop-lines.
Cyclists who would normally use Bridge Street to cross the City Centre will be directed down Mary Ann Street and Bute Terrace. This will involve weaving across the carriageway to position oneself in the right lane and avoid the left filter lanes for cars. The junctions on Churchill Way are also re-engineered for vehicles.
All the public space in the Hayes Island, both sides of the old Library (Working St and Trinity St) and Church St through John St to the junction with Queen St, is included for control and management by the developer, who will thus be responsible for stopping cycling as the Council has dictated. Promises given to allow cycling at particular times on an ‘experimental’ basis (and to include Queen Street) have not been delivered.